Daily Life
As a tropical island, Sri Lanka is consistently at risk of extreme weather events. Flooding presents the greatest risk, with over 10 million people affected in the past 30 years, followed by cyclones and drought. This impacts agriculture, resulting in 17% of the population experiencing food insecurity. Sri Lanka is in ongoing economic crisis (since 2019), causing unprecedented levels of inflation and shortages in supplies. The uncertain living conditions are causing many people to make the difficult decision to leave their home.
Most children come from Buddhist, Hindu, or Muslim backgrounds, so Christmas is not widely celebrated. However, through the caring staff of Child Action Lanka (CAL), long-term partner of Feed The Hungry in Sri Lanka, children are given the opportunity to hear the story of Jesus and the meaning of Christmas.
Each of the ten CAL centres hosts a special celebration, including a Christmas party, gifts, tree decorating, and a concert sharing the birth of Christ in a way children can understand. When personal Christmas cards arrive from friends in Australia, they become a simple but powerful expression of love and encouragement.