University of Sri Jayewardenepura Mobilizes Comprehensive Relief Response to Cyclone Ditwah Devastation
USJ Community Demonstrates Unity and Compassion Through Multi-Pronged Relief Initiatives
December 5, 2025 – Gangodawila, Nugegoda
In the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, which has been declared as one of the largest and most challenging natural disaster in Sri Lanka’s modern history, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura has launched an extensive and multifaceted relief operation spanning multiple faculties and reaching thousands of affected communities across the island.
Diriya Yathra: A Journey of Hope and Healing
The Student Council of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, in partnership with the Alumni Association of USJ, spearheaded “Diriya Yathra” (Journey of Courage), a comprehensive relief program targeting the severely affected areas of Mahiyanganaya, Haputale, and Badulla. These central hill country regions have been among the hardest hit by the cyclone, experiencing devastating landslides and widespread infrastructure damage that claimed hundreds of lives.
Medical Response and Public Health Education
The Medical Faculty of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura played a dual role in the humanitarian response. Students and faculty members not only participated actively in the Diriya Yathra initiative, providing essential medical supplies and healthcare support, but also developed a comprehensive video series educating the public about post-disaster diseases such as leptospirosis. This proactive public health education initiative addresses critical health risks that emerge in flood-affected areas, helping communities protect themselves during the recovery period.
Standing in Solidarity with University of Peradeniya: A National Academic Response
Demonstrating remarkable solidarity across Sri Lanka’s higher education sector, a one-day “Helping Hand Programme” was organized at the University of Peradeniya on December 4th, 2025 (Poyaday). This unprecedented initiative brought together volunteers from all state universities across Sri Lanka, including academic staff, non-academic staff, students, and alumni members from universities nationwide. The University Teachers’ Association (UTA) coordinated this massive volunteer mobilization effort.
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura played a leading role in this national response, from the Gangodawila campus. Approximately 500-600 volunteers from USJ alone—comprising academic staff, non-academic staff, students, alumni, and related personnel—joined their counterparts from other state universities across the country, traveling to the severely affected Peradeniya campus to support restoration efforts and provide assistance to the displaced university community.
The scene that greeted all participants was deeply moving and heartbreaking. All people who arrived were very sad to see the present situation of Peradeniya, witnessing firsthand the extensive damage to facilities, displaced students and staff, and the visible devastation wrought by the catastrophic floods and landslides that had ravaged this historic institution and its surrounding communities.
This unprecedented show of brotherhood among all state universities in Sri Lanka reflects the true spirit of national unity during this crisis, with volunteers from across the nation’s academic institutions working side by side to clean facilities, restore infrastructure, and provide emotional and material support to their colleagues and students at Peradeniya who were struggling with the aftermath of this devastating natural disaster.
Faculty-Led Relief Initiatives
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, through its Japura Tourism initiative, coordinated a major relief distribution program delivering essential supplies to 200 schools across flood-affected regions. The program distributed over 10,000 items including dry rations, school supplies to 200 schools, and water bottles to 20 additional schools, ensuring that educational institutions could continue to support students and their families during this critical period.
Innovative Chemical Relief Program
The Chemical Society, attached to the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Applied Sciences, launched the “Hope Chemistry” program, coordinating with the Sri Lankan Air Force to deliver essential chemical supplies and aid materials to non-reachable affected areas. This innovative collaboration enabled critical supplies to reach isolated communities cut off by floods and landslides.
Technology-Driven Humanitarian Support
The Faculty of Engineering’s Students’ Union demonstrated technological leadership by developing and launching a “Missing Persons Finder” digital platform for the Sri Lanka Emergency Response. This crucial tool has been helping families locate missing loved ones in the aftermath of the disaster, providing a centralized database for missing person reports and facilitating reconnections during this chaotic period. Missing Persons Finder: http://disaster.sufoeusj.org/
Context of the Crisis
Cyclone Ditwah, which made landfall on November 28, 2025, has affected over 1.4 million people across all 25 districts of Sri Lanka, with more than 410 confirmed deaths and 336 people still missing. The central districts of Kandy, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Kurunegala, and Matale have experienced the highest casualties, making the University of Sri Jayewardenepura’s targeted relief efforts in these regions particularly vital.
The university’s multi-faceted response—combining student activism, alumni engagement, faculty resources, technological innovation, and inter-institutional cooperation—exemplifies the role of higher education institutions as pillars of community resilience during national emergencies. The swift and coordinated action by the USJ community, alongside sister universities across the nation, demonstrates how academic institutions can mobilize their human resources and expertise to respond effectively to natural disasters.
