CLIMATE CHANGE AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

Economic and climate shocks continue to exacerbate the vulnerabilities of communities in Sri Lanka, resulting in negative outcomes for children, especially in economically and socially marginalized households. In the face of such shocks, we recognize the necessity of building the resilience of these communities through climate-sensitive economic solutions, disaster risk management and opportunities to graduate from social safety nets.  

As part of our work on disaster preparedness, we have piloted Village Disaster Management Committees (VDMCs) to strengthen community-level disaster risk management and support local government agencies. Through a locally led approach, we have supported communities to better understand and manage climate and disaster risks through participatory assessments, while promoting inclusive, community-based adaptation. Our work has also strengthened early warning systems and disaster preparedness mechanisms while supporting local authorities to develop inclusive disaster management plans that reflect the needs of children, women, and other at-risk groups.

Building on this, we have introduced an Anticipatory Action framework to shift from reactive to proactive disaster response. This included developing local early warning triggers based on both scientific data and community knowledge, and working with communities to define early actions that can be activated before a crisis escalates. We also supported simulations and community drills, strengthened the capacity of local and national actors, and worked with government partners to integrate anticipatory action into policies and systems - ensuring communities are better prepared, more resilient, and able to protect children from the impacts of climate shocks.

Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka in November 2025, triggering severe flooding and landslides that affected an estimated 2.2 million people across all 25 districts. Many families continue to face prolonged displacement, disrupted livelihoods, and ongoing economic hardship. For children, the impacts persist through increased protection risks, interrupted learning, and heightened emotional distress, as communities work to recover and rebuild a sense of safety and stability.

In response, Save the Children has been supporting disaster-affected children, families, schools, and communities through locally led recovery efforts. With support from the European Union, we are combining multi-purpose cash assistance with integrated child protection and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to help families meet immediate needs while reducing vulnerability and strengthening resilience.

Alongside this, we worked with government and partners to restore learning environments, provide essential relief items, deliver psychosocial support through approaches such as TeamUp, and strengthen community preparedness - ensuring children are safe, supported, and better protected from future shocks.