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A meal of hope: Kalawana entrepreneur feeds hungry schoolchildren amid economic hardship

Published

2 months ago

2026/02/15

In a country where some children arrive at school in luxury vehicles after three hearty meals, others walk into classrooms having eaten nothing more than a piece of bread and a drink of water.Teachers say there are students who attend lessons without bringing lunch, wearing the same uniform day after day, some without shoes or slippers. For a few, the school’s water tap becomes their only source of relief from hunger.

It is against this stark backdrop that Kalawana-based tourism entrepreneur Sarathchandra Ramanayake has stepped forward with a quiet but determined intervention.

Since 2023, through his venture Rainforest Community Kitchen, Ramanayake has been providing free, nutritious lunches to 100 schoolchildren in and around Kalawana who would otherwise go without a midday meal. The initiative began at the height of the country’s economic crisis, a period marked by soaring food prices and reports of children fainting during morning school assemblies due to hunger.

“As prices rose, families who once managed three meals struggled to afford two. Those who ate twice a day were reduced to one,” Ramanayake recalled. “If parents had the means, they would never send their children to school hungry.”

Parents echo this reality. They speak of children who once carried a few rupees to buy a snack at the school canteen but now stand by, unable to afford even the simplest meal. “On some days, the daily wage we earn in the morning is spent entirely at the shop by evening,” one parent said. “We cannot even think about tomorrow’s meal.”

: Entrepreneur Sarathchandra Ramanayake

: Nilmini Suraweera, a teacher at Kalawana National School

At Kalawana National School, where the programme first took root, teachers have witnessed the impact firsthand. Nilmini Suraweera, who coordinates the initiative within the school, described the children’s anticipation during the lunch break.

“For nearly two years, meals have been provided continuously to economically disadvantaged students,” she said. “When we see how eagerly they wait for that meal, it is deeply moving. They receive a clean and nutritious lunch every day. It is a truly noble service.”

Students are identified through class teachers, ensuring that those most in need benefit from the programme. According to Suraweera, while many schools face similar hardships, few sustained efforts reach these children.

Ramanayake, a father of two daughters, says his motivation is simple. “An adult may endure hunger somehow. But how can a child?” he asked. “If we have the ability to give, why should we hold back?”

Despite warnings from some quarters that charity might affect business profits, he chose to integrate social responsibility into his enterprise. A portion of the profits from meals purchased at his establishment is channelled into funding the school lunch programme. Customers are not charged extra; instead, the business absorbs the cost as part of its commitment to the community.

“We don’t even see the faces of the children who receive these meals,” Ramanayake said. “I do this with no narrow motive—only for the happiness it brings.”

The initiative, which currently supports 100 students daily, has plans for expansion. Ramanayake hopes to increase the number of beneficiaries to 1,000 in the coming years, drawing support from individuals, institutions and well-wishers willing to join the cause.

Parents, struggling under the weight of rising living costs, say the assistance has brought relief during desperate times. “Children wear the same pair of shoes until the soles wear out,” one parent noted. “Sometimes we cannot even afford slippers. What he is doing is truly noble.”

As economic pressures continue to affect families across the country, the Kalawana lunch programme stands as a reminder that small, sustained acts of compassion can make a profound difference.For the children who line up each day for a simple, nourishing meal, it is more than food. It is strength for the afternoon’s lessons—and perhaps, hope for a better tomorrow.

Text and Pix by Upendra Priyankara Jathungama

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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the Districts of Kurunegala and Ratnapura

Published

5 hours ago

2026/04/23

Priyan

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued Landslide Early Warnings to the Districts of Kurunegala and Ratnapura effective from 16:00 hrs on 23.04.2026 To 16:00 hrs on 24.04.2026

Accordingly,

Level 1 landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Rideegama in the Kurunegala district and Kuruwita, Kalawana, Ratnapura, Nivithigala, Pelmadulla and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued for the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Ampara and Batticaloa districts

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/23

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
Issued at 12.00 noon 23 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 23 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
• Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

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Compensation payments and reconstruction activities related to the Ditwah relief measures must be expedited with special attention at the district level – PM

Published

16 hours ago

2026/04/23

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that compensation payments and reconstruction activities related to the Ditwah relief measures must be expedited with special attention at the district level. She further stated that all necessary allocations have already been made to Provincial Councils and instructed that the progress of disaster damage assessments and reconstruction efforts be closely monitored at the provincial level.

The Prime Minister made these remarks at a discussion held on Tuesday (21) at Temple Trees under her patronage, aimed at informing Chairpersons of District Coordination Committees and public representatives from disaster-affected districts, in order to accelerate the implementation of the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme. The discussion focused on expediting disaster relief and compensation payments, as well as the swift restoration of infrastructure damaged by the disaster.

The Prime Minister emphasized that Rs. 500 billion has been allocated for damages caused by the Ditwah cyclone, and that all relevant development activities must be completed before the end of 2026. The Prime Minister also instructed officials to pay special attention to resolving issues at the local level that are causing delays in compensation payments.

Senior Additional Secretary to the President, G.M.R.D. Aponsu, stated that the estimated cost for reconstruction following the Ditwah cyclone is approximately USD 3.4 billion. Accordingly, funds have been allocated for compensation across several sectors including housing and social infrastructure, agriculture and livestock, fisheries, industry and livelihoods, and irrigation. He further noted that 99% of the Rs. 25,000 allowance has already been disbursed, while 95% of the Rs. 50,000 resettlement allowance has been paid. Compensation for fully and partially damaged houses is still ongoing, and 99% of temporary relief centres have been closed.

Additionally, attention was drawn to several other measures, including providing Rs. 25,000 to affected schoolchildren, paying Rs. 1 million as compensation for each deceased individual, compensation for children who lost one or both parents, support for persons with disabilities affected by the disaster, compensation for agricultural losses, and expediting resettlement of displaced families. Measures such as allocating land for new housing construction and accelerating the issuance of reports from the National Building Research Organization were also discussed.

Focus was also placed on the reconstruction of affected schools, hospitals, and daycare centres, improving the accuracy and speed of data collection at the local level, and accelerating infrastructure development.

The event was attended by Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Dr. Chandana Abayarathna, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne, Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperatives R.M. Jayawardena, Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Madhura Senevirathna, Members of Parliament, Chairpersons of District Coordination Committees, Chief of Staff to the President and Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Additional Secretary to the President Jayantha Bandara; and officials of the Prime Minister’s Office.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]