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Woman receiving dignity kit.

Resource

Over 1,000 dignity kits distributed after flash floods in Sri Lanka

Incessant rains across Sri Lanka during May 2017 affected over half a million people in seven districts. Most affected was the Ratnapura district where over 20,000 people faced flash floods, and where...

Incessant rains across Sri Lanka during May 2017 affected over half a million people in seven districts. Most affected was the Ratnapura district where over 20,000 people faced flash floods, and where 46 deaths were reported. IPPF Humanitarian, in partnership with FPA Sri Lanka, responded to this catastrophe through the distribution of over 1,000 dignity kits in Ratnapura.

 

Stories

Read more stories about our humanitarian work in Sri Lanka during the floods

The rains and flash floods caused widespread destruction to buildings and roads.
The flash floods caused devastation leaving many homes ruined and families homeless.
Nimal* and her family were asleep when the floods came into their house. She and her husband took their young children to safety upstairs. Since the floods, Nimal and her family attended the clinic set up by The Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka (FPA-SL), and received medical care and gender based violence training. “We were all sleeping in this house when the flood came in the night. When we woke up we were surrounded by four feet of water in the house. Our van and bicycle were damaged."
"A tree fell on to the roof of my house, and a sheet of metal fell right on top of me. Almost everything inside the house was destroyed, so now we stay in a hut behind the house, all sharing one bed. the children lost all their books. We didn't have clothes or food so our neighbours helped us. We received a letter about the dignity kits being distributed by FPA Sri Lanka." Roshini lives in the Southern Province.
FPA Sri Lanka distributed over 1,000 dignity kits to women and families. They contain much-needed items such as sanitary pads, towels, sarongs.
“When the flood came, my husband was feeding my eldest child and the baby was asleep in the bed. I was outside of the house. My mother was brushing her teeth outside the back of the house. I looked up and saw trees falling near my neighbour’s house up the hill. My neighbours died.   I couldn’t take any possessions – I just had to run for my life. My husband took my younger child. They were all screaming."
Prijani and Chandana were forced to flee their home during the floods of May 2017 in Sri Lanka. They didn’t have time to take any belongings, so ran with their two small children. After the floods, they attended gender based violence training run by Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka, where they learned about child protection needs.   “We weren’t informed that the floods were going to come, but when the water reached our knee level we knew we have to move. We just took the kids and left” says Prijani.
A woman waiting for a pre-natal check up at the Nagoda Health Clinic, Southern Province.
Access to maternal health care in times of emergencies are vital.
Midwife Chaturika Lakmale was on the ground during and after the floods providing family planning services and contraception to women affected by the flood. "After the floods, we arranged several special clinics just for family planning, and distributed condoms and emergency supplies of the pill to camps in case women missed their regular form of contraception like injectables, implants or IUDs."
Priyanka was five months pregnant when the floods came. "I had to go to my friend's house up the mountain for safety. I have a 2.5 year old daughter. My husband's dahl business was destroyed - the machines were damaged by the water. All the people in the village came to help clean up our house. The doctor came to the village to check all the pregnant women. This is my second visit to the clinic."
Our clinics ensure that women still have access to contraception during the aftermath of natural disasters

when

country

Sri Lanka

Subject

Emergencies

Related Member Association

Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka