Help feed a Sri Lankan family facing crisis

Sri Lanka is going through its worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948. People are dying all around Sri Lanka from starvation and medicine shortages.

My name is Yashodara Abeykoon, a Sri Lankan native and a current Ph.D. candidate at UCSF. I visited Sri Lanka in June 2022, and firsthand saw the suffering of many Sri Lankans, which broke my heart into pieces.

It was heartbreaking to see how many families had only water as a ‘meal’ for the entire day. People were begging for any spare change and food in the streets. I witnessed a father of three, who worked as a driver and lost his job due to the crisis, cry in front of me and ask for any spare change because he could no longer feed his family. Every time I go to the grocery store, without fail, I’ve had mothers come up to me and ask if I could buy them some rice, lentils or even a coconut because their child was starving at home.

This fundraiser aims to help buy a pack of basic, non-perishable groceries for impoverished Sri Lankan families. This pack will include a bag of rice, lentils, salt, tea and sugar, providing essential nutrients and energy. With skyrocketing inflation, the price of groceries in Sri Lanka is increasing by the day. $25 will currently help feed a family of 4 with the above groceries for one week. I’m partnering with Maithree thero of the Buddhist temple ‘Sapugaskanda Purana Rajamaha Viharaya’ in Sri Lanka to buy these non-perishables and distribute them among Sri Lankan families in need.

Your kindness will go a long way in helping a nation in dire need. All the Sri Lankans and I will forever be grateful for your support. Every dollar counts to help feed a starving Sri Lankan family! Thank you so much for your consideration and support!