Emergency Relief - Sri Lanka

At the start of 2022, Sri Lanka entered a period of economic and political crisis which has seen prices for essential goods and services soar. Depleted foreign reserves and soaring inflation have devastated Sri Lanka’s economy in recent months. The pandemic and the war in Ukraine have only made the situation worse. Food prices rose by 80% in June alone. With fuel and gas shortages, and daily power cuts, families are unable to travel to buy fresh food or prepare hot meals.

Key statistics

Acute malnutrition rates could rise from 13% to 20%, with the number of severely malnourished children, currently 35,000, likely to double. In collaboration with Catholic Mission, PMS Sri Lanka seeks to assist 100 of the poorest families in each of the 12 dioceses with ration packs of essential items.

Sri Lankan families have cut down on food by
70%
In June 2022, food prices rose by
80%
Acute malnutrition could rise from 13% to
20%

“Our living is a very challenging one today because of the present crisis and lack of many essential items in the country. Hospitals have stopped doing major surgeries, no schools and no papers to print the exam papers for the school exams, all the essential goods (commodities) have gone up to very high prices, people have lost their jobs, mainly all are on the roads and doing demonstrations and so many protests against the present government asking them to resign.”

Fr Basil Rohan Fernando
National Director for PMS Sri Lanka

All Sri Lankans have been subjected to severe hardships never experienced in the past. Prices of essential food items have skyrocketed making it difficult for people to afford them. In addition to the price hikes, there is a severe shortage of these essentials such as fuel for vehicles, liquefied petroleum gas, kerosene oil used for lighting stoves for cooking purposes, rice, sugar, milk powder, fresh milk, flour, and meat products. The cost of many other essentials has increased four-fold causing people to continue to carry on with antigovernmental protests all over Sri Lanka.

Fr Basil Rohan Fernando

PMS Sri Lanka will use funds to provide four ration packs for each family every two to three weeks. The packs will include 5kg of rice, 1kg of flour, 1kg of dhal, two salmon tins, 1kg of gram, four packets of soya meat, 1kg of sugar, 1kg of milk powder, 400g of tea, 1 packet of biscuits, three soaps, and additional medicinal items.