Together We Can Feed Them All

Relief and aid play a key role in times of calamity and de-stress. In fulfilling the complex mandate of Suwodaya, Sarvodaya's aid and relief drive has played a key role since the implementation of Government lockdowns. Especially during the first lock down Sarvodaya reached out to the most vulnerable non-affluent communities in urban settlements and other vulnerable groups in selected districts carefully identifying the requirements through rapid needs assessments. Responding to the needs of the said groups were vital as proper mechanisms to distribute essential supplies in the very first few weeks were extremely difficult, due to supply chains and distribution lines coming into a standstill in the wake of lockdowns. In deploying relief and aid, Sarvodaya not only mechanised their own operations but also renewed partnerships as well as built new ones in fulfilling the undertakings. One such significant partnership had been 'We Build Colombo together' - a group of young professionals and community activists who put forward a proposal and implemented it successfully with Sarvodaya in these trying times.

Figure 7, A flyer for the WBCT-Sarvodaya Relief Drive

The Sarvodaya District Centre network have been engaging with their respective communities to call upon philanthropists and well-wishers to contribute to different funding initiatives and relief distribution drives. District Centres in partnership with Sarvodaya Shramadana Societies based in Colombo, Anuradhapura, Galle, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Monaragala, Puttalam, Kalutara, Jaffna, Gampaha, Kandy, Nuwaraeliya, Matale, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Kilinochchi have played a significant role in coordinating and dispersing essential supplies and relief packages to vulnerable communities, daily waged workers, and poverty-stricken communities.