Team ReadMe
The continuously rising frustration and helplessness of being unable to see to one’s daily needs have hit crossed its boiling point. Sri Lankans from all over the country are voicing their protest at the Rajapaksa-led government. While the rising citizen protests continue to amplify in and out of the country, there are also those looking to assist deprived communities with much-needed essentials. So in case you’re wondering ways you could offer a lending hand, here are six community-driven operations that could use your support.
1. Community Meal Share
As the name suggests, this is a community-driven initiative focused on bringing warm meals to hungry neighborhoods in the Dehiwala, Bambalapitiya, and Wellawatta areas. Community Meal Share has been growing strong over the few weeks since kicking off operations. According to its co-founder Nadeeka Jayasinghe, the initiative has managed to serve 1,408 meals within 17 days and is now planning to have its first stationary kitchen.
If you’d like to help Community Meal Share’s efforts you can donate to the following,
Name: Nadeeka Jayasinghe
Bank: National Development Bank – Wattala
Account number: 106000658866
Address: Community Meal Share, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Postal code: 00700
2. Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels is a similar initiative. Operated by the Tamarind Gardens Farm, aims to offer weekly hot meals to sick, elderly, low-income families, and other vulnerable communities. Some of these focus groups are only able to afford a single meal per day with the utmost difficulty. Thereby, Meals on Wheels provides rice packets, that include wages, priced at LKR 400.
For more details, you can call +94 77 907 1777.
3. The Soup Bowl
The Soup Bowl is another program that follows the same approach as the previous two. It’s a private charity organization that provides lunch packets to the underprivileged. The Soup Bowl currently runs a lunch packet drive that provides lunch packets to those in need, in and around Kandy. every Tuesday.
You can sponsor a lunch packet for LKR 260, or more if you’re up for it.
Name: Rishani Sittampalam
Bank: Commecial Bank – Wellawatte
Account number: 8100076404
Soup Bowl WhatsApp: +94 77 543 7038
4. Colombo Lunch Drives
These lunch packs are delivered to women who are single breadwinners or cancer survivors. Priced at LKR 275 – 300, the lunch drives happen every Wednesday and Sunday. The Wednesday run covers Nawala, Rajagiriya, Borella/Castle Street, Town Hall/ Viharamahadevi Park Stretch, and Wijerama Mawatha/ Ward Place. Meanwhile, the Sunday drive covers Nugegoda, Kotte, Kohuwala, Nawala, and Mirihana.
Wednesday lunch drive
Name: D S Gunasekara
Bank: Bank of Ceylon – Hultfsdorp
Account number: 1380551
Contact: +94 77 291 8907
Sunday lunch drive
Name: Navindra Gamalathge
Account name: FERNANDO K R D
Bank: HNB – Wellawatte
Account number: 009020685783
Contact: +94 77 772 0846
5. Ghedora Connects
This initiative focuses on regular meal drives to the unhoused in Colombo, every Sunday where the meals themselves are ordered from low-income women. Meals include vegetable rice at LKR 175, chicken rice at LKR 275, egg/soya noodles at LKR 150, dessert cups at LKR 100, and more.
You can WhatsApp +94 728533014 or email [email protected] for more details.
6. Greater Giving Sri Lanka
Greater Giving Sri Lanka aims to provide much-needed dry rations to families in need. They cover Colombo suburbs and Maskeliya/Anuradhapura areas. The initiative is in touch with the local government representatives in certain areas which helps them list down the low-income families in specific areas.
If you’re donating from overseas
Mind you, you don’t have to live in Sri Lanka to offer assistance. If you live overseas and want to support, here’s what you need to do.
- First you would need to sign up on Wise (Formerly TransferWise). This will essentially let you deposit in a foreign currency like USD while the recipient will receive the donation in LKR in the form of a credit/debit card payment.
- Go to Send Money on Wise and select your source and destination currency
- Fill in the Bank Details section. Bank and Branch are separate
- Input your Recipient Address. If you’re unsure about your Postal Code a Google search generally helps
While it may not be as straightforward as PayPal or a GoFundMe donation, this is probably one of the few effective means of providing support from overseas.
Of course, these aren’t the only programs running to help vulnerable communities. For a more updated list, check here.
Keep fighting the good fight Sri Lanka!
Disclaimer: Do note that this is merely a listicle among the many community-driven initiatives. We encourage you to reach out to the programs prior to deciding on donating.
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