Over 11,000 low-income families receive emergency assistance through Red Cross partnership

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) collaborated to provide emergency relief assistance to 11,850 vulnerable low-income families impacted by the economic crisis in Sri Lanka.

“Low-income families are facing the worst effects of the economic crisis. As part of our humanitarian response, the ICRC partnered with the SLRCS to address some of their urgent needs in these challenging times. During the economic crisis, the ICRC adapted its programmes to better serve the affected people in Sri Lanka,” said Head of the ICRC Delegation in Colombo, Séverine Chappaz.

Under the ICRC-SLRCS partnership, over 6,170 families received cash or cash vouchers (LKR 18,000 each) as emergency relief assistance, enabling them to meet their daily food and other essential needs up to a period of two weeks. The families were selected from 12 districts in Sri Lanka (Ampara, Batticaloa, Galle, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Matara, Monaragala, Puttalam, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee and Vavuniya), based on the food security assessment conducted at household level by the SLRCS, in consultation with relevant authorities. In addition, over 5,600 pregnant women and new mothers from 10 districts received supplemental nutrition packs through the ICRC-SLRCS partnership.

Director General of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, Dr. Mahesh Gunasekara added: “Sri Lanka is going through its most difficult period as a nation, and we, as the country’s largest humanitarian organisation, have stepped forward in support of our people to uplift their lives and bring them hope during this difficult period.