Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE)’s Ramadan Food Baskets and Iftar Meal Distributions Provide Nutrition and Support to 2,256 in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, also known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, is home to stunning natural wonders and is most famous for being a leading exporter of tea and cinnamon. However, despite this success, Sri Lanka experienced one of the worst financial collapses in recent history, leaving its population poverty-stricken as they continue to recover from the after-effects of this sudden decline.

High poverty rates and food insecurity suddenly swept the country due to a unique combination of factors. Declining tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, paired with the collapse of agricultural output, meant that Sri Lanka was left with extremely low foreign reserves.

As a result, in 2022, the Sri Lankan rupee lost over 80% of its value against the dollar, leading to an overnight rise in the price of imported staple goods. Food prices more than doubled between 2021 and 2024, heavily straining household budgets and plunging vulnerable families into a sudden state of food insecurity. To cope with this, nearly half of all households had to resort to strategies like skipping meals or reducing portion sizes to survive. This had a huge impact on the development of the most vulnerable families, with nearly a third of children under five suddenly considered malnourished.

While the government was able to balance the financial crisis at a global level, the damage done to its nation has been much harder to undo. Due to inflation, wages remain out of sync with the rising cost of living, and those employed in the agricultural sector still have not fully recovered, leaving those in rural locations most impacted. As of 2024, the rate of Sri Lankans living below the poverty line remains double that of 2019, with at least 66% of monthly wages used just to buy basic essential food.

With the persistence of food insecurity and poverty in Sri Lanka, Life for Relief and Development USA (LIFE) arranged Ramadan Food Basket and Iftar Meal distribution projects in the most remote and poverty-stricken regions. On February 26, 2025, Food baskets containing rice, flour, sugar, oil, dates, noodles, drinks and spices were distributed to 400 struggling families, reaching 1,356 vulnerable individuals in the Monaragala District. Along with this, 900 ready-to-eat Iftar packs were distributed at 3 central locations in the Kinniya region.

LIFE’s food charity provided essential nutrition to families most in need during the month of Ramadan. The direct relief served these vulnerable communities by not only delivering food security for the entire month, but also by allowing beneficiaries to break their fasts with nourishing, culturally appropriate food.

The spirit of connectivity and togetherness was especially appreciated by recipients, as they enjoyed their Iftar meals in congregations of fellow fasting families. This unity brought a sense of honor to the communities, reminding them that they were not alone in their daily struggle for survival.

One member of the community, a widow named Monaragala, expressed her infinite gratitude to the donors and LIFE’s staff for the huge impact this initiative had on her and her family. Sharing the extent to which their current state of poverty has affected them, she reveals: “We had nothing in our home. Thanks to the food basket, my children now have suhoor and iftar”.

Your donations have granted these vulnerable family's peace of mind, full bellies, and a sense of dignity, turning their lives of struggle into ones of serenity. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to making the world a better place.