Weeks after cyclone Ditwah brought devastating floods and landslides (see details below), countless Sri Lankans are still struggling to survive and begin rebuilding their lives. A grassroots initiative of NVC (Nonviolent Communication) trainers and practitioners is providing urgent aid to some of the most severely affected regions. Our efforts began just days after the cyclone, but more funding is needed to sustain this work—which has the potential to save lives, particularly those of children.

Please consider supporting these efforts by making a donation here! (We are also planning a separate three-day NVC online training organized as a fundraising event, from January 9th to 11th. Participating in that fundraiser could be another way of supporting our initiative. Please be aware that donations here on GoFundMe are unrelated and do not buy a ticket for the fundraiser.)

Some Q&As:

Why is the NVC community involved? What expertise do you guys have?

This initiative was organized by people who met in Sri Lanka in September at an International Intensive Training (IIT) for NVC. They include certified NVC trainers from Sri Lanka, India, and Europe as well as Sri Lankan IIT participants—such as local NGO organizers and government officials. When cyclone Ditwah happened only weeks after the IIT, we were initially shocked. We quickly decided to leverage our newly formed connections and resources to provide effective relief.

All donations go directly to the Sri Lankan NGO IMSESO, which has been supporting children and adolescents from marginalized communities in Sri Lanka’s remote hill country for more than a decade. IMSESO is run by Constantine Santiago, a Sri Lankan NVC practitioner and project planner who attended the IIT. So our relief efforts are coordinated and carried out by people who have a deep understanding of the local context and needs. Other local NVC practitioners and two trainers from the Netherlands have also supported IMSESO by personally delivering first aid packages to remote villages.

What happened during Cyclone Ditwah, and what was the impact?

On November 28, 2025, cyclone Ditwah caused widespread devastation across Sri Lanka. In some areas, 300 millimeters of rain fell within a few hours—equivalent to nearly six months of rain in many European regions. About 20% of the country’s land area was flooded. Hundreds of people died, hundreds of thousands lost their homes, and two million were affected in various ways. One major source of destruction was massive landslides in the hill country, where our relief efforts are focused. In the aftermath, urgent needs include clean water, safe food, and protection from diseases, especially for children and adolescents from displaced populations with limited access to basic infrastructure.

What kind of help is needed, and how exactly will my donations be used?

Our work focuses on supporting children, adolescents, and their families. Weeks after the cyclone, many people in Sri Lanka’s hill country still lack reliable access to clean water, sufficiently nutritious food and basic healthcare. Under these conditions, severe physical disease and emotional trauma are very real concerns. IMSESO uses your donations to assemble first aid packages with essential items such as food, water purification products, diapers, and other health products. These packages are then distributed to villages in Sri Lanka’s hill country. Communities in that region were already marginalized before the cyclone. When Ditwah happened, the devastation was particularly bad here. Innumerable homes, school buildings, and agricultural facilities have been completely destroyed—and with them the ability for people to sustain themselves. Other efforts are directed at rebuilding an education infrastructure in affected regions.

While two thirds of donations are used to fund the above relief efforts, the remaining third will support Sri Lankan NVC multipliers. The work these people have been doing for years and decades empowers children, adolescents, women, and marginalized communities across the country. Supporting them during recovery allows their vital work to continue or resume as early as possible.

Your support can actually save lives and help rebuild communities. Please consider donating today!

Transparency notice: GoFundMe cannot pay directly to Sri Lanka, so donations will be sent weekly via an EU intermediary account to IMSESO’s Sri Lankan account. I, Sascha Borree, the initiator of this GoFundMe campaign, am a certified NVC trainer who has participated in the Sri Lanka IIT as a support trainer. The upcoming three-day fundraising event/NVC training in January is an initiative of certified NVC trainers Anna Garbacz and Ada Bienkowska who have also been support trainers in the Sri Lanka IIT.