Sri Lanka has stabilized on paper.
But in rural districts across the country, stabilization has not yet reached the dinner table.
Following the 2022 economic collapse, food prices surged, household income declined, and rural agricultural communities absorbed the worst of inflation and drought cycles. According to data and field reporting from the World Food Programme and UNICEF, a significant number of families continue to reduce meal portions, skip meals entirely, and prioritize adults working over children eating.
The quiet crisis now is not dramatic. It is chronic.
And chronic hunger erodes dignity slowly.
The Need
In targeted rural districts such as Monaragala and parts of the North Central Province:
Families are surviving on limited staple foods. Children arrive at school without adequate nutrition. Anemia rates among women and children remain elevated. Household debt continues to rise as food costs absorb income.
Hunger does not just impact health.
It affects school performance, cognitive development, long-term earning potential, and community stability.
This is not a temporary inconvenience. It is a structural vulnerability.
The Response: The Cornerstone Community Nutrition & Dignity Program
CJF Sri Lanka is launching a focused 90-day intervention designed to stabilize 1,000 vulnerable households and protect 600 nutritionally at-risk children in one targeted rural district.
This is an initiative built around measurable outcomes and local partnership.
Program Components
1. Emergency Family Food Support
Structured monthly food boxes for 1,000 families over three months, including:
Rice Lentils Fortified flour Cooking oil Canned protein sources
All food will be locally sourced to stimulate Sri Lankan markets rather than disrupt them.
2. School-Based Nutrition Supplementation
Fortified, high-protein snacks distributed three times per week in partnership with three rural schools, targeting 600 children identified as nutritionally vulnerable.
3. Community Health Screenings
Monthly pop-up health clinics providing:
Basic anemia testing Height and weight monitoring Nutrition counseling for mothers and caregivers
4. Local Staffing & Logistics
Temporary hiring of local field coordinators and distribution officers to ensure efficient, transparent implementation.
Why This Matters
Food is not charity.
It is stability.
When households are stabilized:
Children stay in school. Healthcare burdens decrease. Exploitation risks decline. Community trust strengthens.
This initiative is intentionally structured to deliver measurable impact within 90 days, including documented weight stabilization among children and structured data reporting for accountability and future scale.
We are not launching a campaign for attention.
We are launching a program for impact.
How You Can Support
CJF Sri Lanka will provide:
Transparent budget allocation Impact metrics and reporting Field documentation Community partnership updates
For partnership inquiries or to contribute to this initiative, please contact CJF Sri Lanka through our official channels or email our Global Programs office.
Our Position
Sri Lanka is resilient.
But resilience without support becomes exhaustion.
We believe that dignity begins with food.
We believe stabilization must be local.
We believe intervention should be measurable.
And we believe that waiting is not leadership.
This is not about headlines.
It is about hunger.
CJF Sri Lanka moves now.
