By Shehan Semasinghe | Director
Dear Friends,
As we move into August 2026, the resilience of our local communities continues to stand out. The ongoing economic situation makes daily life a struggle for many in Sri Lanka, but your support allows spaces of connection and rest to remain open for those who need them most.
Here is a look at how your generosity translates into daily meals and emergency assistance.
Recently, heavy rains in Nawalapitiya triggered severe flooding, displacing families from their homes. Thanks to the resources you provide, dry ration packs were distributed directly to those affected. These supplies are helping families meet their basic daily needs while they wait for the waters to recede and begin the process of returning home.
Consistent meals are the foundation of this work. Your funding sustains five distinct programs every week:
Monday: 70 lunches for the young students at Sivananda Primary School.
Monday – Friday: Daily weekday meals for 15 students at the Sumaga Special Needs School.
Wednesday: Kandy Community Lunch at Lighthouse Church, serving 150 to 170 individuals.
Thursday: 80 lunch packs for upper school students at Sivananda Maha Vidyalaya.
Saturday: Elderly & Rural Distribution, delivering 80 packed lunches to those unable to travel to the drop-in centers.
The numbers reflect the meals served, but the real impact is seen in the people who gather each week.
A Grandmother's Journey At the Wednesday lunch project, the elderly make up at least seventy percent of the attendees. Most of them are caregivers to young grandchildren whose parents abandoned them when times got tough and money became scarce. One lady comes from as far as Hatharaliyaddiya. She takes two buses to get to the lunch on a Wednesday afternoon, holding onto the hope that she might be able to take some leftovers home. Your generosity provides a reliable place for her to sit down and share a meal.
Omar’s Journey to Acceptance Omar is a regular at the Drop-In Community Kitchen. He is a man living on the streets and struggling with substance addiction. When he first started coming, people kept their distance, gave him suspicious looks, and some even asked to simply hand him a lunch packet at the gate and send him away. He was often unshaven, wearing dirty clothes, and under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Omar once lived with his sister and her family, but because of his addiction, he was eventually asked to leave. One day, he broke down and shared, "I have no one to look after me. I am all alone."
Over the past few months, small but meaningful changes have taken place. He dresses better, smiles more, and happily chats with others. Society may still see only a street person, but transformation doesn't always happen through grand gestures. Sometimes it begins with simple acceptance. Right before our eyes, a man who has known rejection for much of his life is slowly rediscovering his dignity.
That is the power of a compassionate community—and you make that community possible. Thank you for your continued partnership.
With sincere gratitude,
The Soup Bowl Team
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