Helping families to rebuild after the cyclone

In December 2025, severe flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah brought heartbreak to many families across Sri Lanka, particularly in and around the Colombo region, where the Mia Fratino Foundation operates. Days of relentless rain and floodwaters flowing from the northern plains caused rivers to overflow and entire neighbourhoods to flood.

For many communities in low-lying areas of Colombo, the flooding hit quickly. Homes were submerged, personal belongings were destroyed, and families lost furniture, clothing, and school supplies almost overnight.

In some areas, floodwaters mixed with sewage and contaminated the clean water supply. Schools and workplaces closed temporarily, leaving many families without income during an already challenging economic time.

What made this disaster especially difficult was the impact on families who were already vulnerable. Many people living in informal housing had little protection against the floodwaters, and rebuilding their homes and lives will take time and support.

Yet even in the midst of devastation, there were many stories of kindness and resilience. Neighbours took in displaced families, volunteers delivered meals and emergency supplies, and local communities came together to help clean homes and streets once the water began to recede.

To start the effort for us to assist others, Mia Fratino Australia created a GoFundMe page and quickly raised $5,428.38 from their generous customers and friends. This allowed us to immediately fund volunteer groups to get urgent supplies to affected workers in the outer Colombo region.

Because the Foundation operates ‘on the ground’, this means we can tightly control how every cent of the funds is spent – by buying locally through wholesalers, which cuts out the profiteering that can occur.

We vetted all requests through a committee to ensure that all our funds were spent wisely, and accountably. This is one of the big risks in times of emergency, that donor money can be misused and misspent.

Our main strategy was to help secure food, school materials, and bedding – the real basics as quickly as possible. With any leftover funds, we purchased basic home utensils such as rice cookers and fans.

A truck was hired, we bought mattresses and pillows, assembled school stationery kits and food hampers for distribution.

Then our team of helpers, went out to take some of the burden off people who were trying to rebuild their households, such as Wasanthi, Sunitha, and Puspa whose houses were all completely washed out.

The cyclone was a powerful reminder of both the vulnerability and resilience of Sri Lankan communities, who over the last few years have had to endure economic crises and political upheavals. Yet like river reeds, they have an incredible ability to bend, but never break.

We thank all the generous donations received in December and January, it helped us to keep doing small things that have an impact, in a quiet way.