Beyond the Shelter

 

Beyond the Shelter

Healing the Invisible Wounds of Cyclone Dithwa

 

When we think of a disaster like Cyclone Dithwa, we picture the obvious: uprooted trees, damaged homes, and flooded roads. We see the relief camps, the dry rations, and the temporary roofs.

But what about the screams that wake someone up in the middle of the night? What about the anxiety that grips a parent’s heart every time the wind blows a little too hard?

These are the invisible wounds, the ones you cannot bandage, but desperately need to heal.

While rebuilding homes is the first step, rebuilding a sense of safety in a human heart is the true challenge. Recognizing this urgent need, the Leo Club of University of Colombo stepped beyond the distribution of supplies to touch the human soul.

On the 15th of February, inside the old hostel building of Sri Chandananda Buddhist College in Haragama, Kandy District, the atmosphere was different. It was quiet. It was safe. It was understanding.

This was the venue for the third phase of our Survival Project, aptly titled "Healing Hearts." We gathered 36 victims of the Cyclone Dithwa disaster: not to hand out food packets, but to offer something far more scarce: a listening ear and professional psychological solace.

Led by the expertise of psychological counselor Ridmi Barammane, the program was designed to help the displaced individuals process the trauma that had taken root in their minds. For many, the cyclone wasn't just an event that passed; it was a memory that stayed.

Through guided conversation and wellness activities, the session aimed to:

• Validate their feelings: Acknowledging that fear, sadness, and anxiety are normal reactions to abnormal events.
• Build coping mechanisms: Providing practical tools to manage stress and panic in their current transitional living situation.
• Rebuild community: Allowing the 36 participants to share their stories with neighbors who went through the same hell, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggle.

It is easy to look at a shelter and see four walls, but for the people of Haragama, this old hostel building is currently a waiting room, a space between the life they lost and the life they are trying to rebuild, a transition made heavy with uncertainty. By focusing on mental wellness, the Leo Club of University of Colombo addressed the core question that material aid cannot answer: How do we go on from here? The answer, as we witnessed on February 15th, lies in conversation, in professional guidance, and in the compassion of a community that refuses to let its members suffer in silence.

The "Survival" project is about more than just surviving the storm; it's about surviving the aftermath. As we move forward, we carry with us the resilience of those 36 individuals who showed up to heal.

To the residents of the Haragama relief camp: Your strength is our inspiration. And to our supporters, remember that in times of disaster, your donation of kindness and attention to mental health is just as vital as any material good.

Together, we are not just rebuilding shelters. We are rebuilding spirits.

-Leo Ilma Cader