As Sri Lankans welcome another Christmas, the festive season is celebrated in a sombre mood. The last six years have not been kind to the island nation, and just when things seemed to be getting back to normal, Mother Nature reminded us that human impact on the fragile environment of the Blue Planet will be revisited on us in terrible ways.

Cyclone Ditwah has left Sri Lanka battered and bruised in ways many didn’t imagine possible. A World Bank report – Group Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) has painted a bleak picture of its impact, stating that Ditwah caused an estimated $ 4.1 billion in direct physical damage to buildings and contents, agriculture and critical infrastructure, or 4% of the island's GDP. This unprecedented shock to the economy and community has increased risks and compounded the ongoing crisis for our little island.

The past few years were filled with challenges. It started with shocks like the Easter Sunday bombings, and the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought all affairs of the country to a standstill. The economic crisis came next, which reached its peak in 2022 and resulted in long-lasting impacts on the economy and the public. Amidst political, social, and economic challenges, the country saw both promising and disheartening developments. The national-level crises that have triggered long-term, complex challenges, took a significant toll on individuals, households, communities, and the public. Among them, the elderly, the young, other groups living with inadequate resources, and those living with disabilities were disproportionately affected. Nutrition and healthcare became expensive commodities for many and seemed to be growing out of reach. These challenges weakened us at times, but in the face of hardship, they also made us strong.

While the future looks cloudy and uncertain, Sri Lankans – resilient in their own ways – have begun to ‘get on with it’. Given the situation we are in, there is little choice but to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and move ahead. There is much to be done this Christmas. In the spirit of resilience and the festive season, we need to continue supporting those in our community who have been impacted by disaster. While it may not feel like there is much festive cheer this year, celebrating Christmas in the aftermath of a natural disaster is a powerful act of hope and resilience. Coming together as a community can bring comfort and strength to those facing hardship. It is especially important to keep helping your neighbours – whether by sharing resources, offering emotional support, or volunteering for local recovery efforts. 

Every small act of kindness contributes to rebuilding not just homes, but the spirit of the community. By doing your bit, you help ensure that no one faces adversity alone, and together, you create a foundation for healing and renewal. We have done this many times before, and we know what needs to be done. Our community needs little instruction on banding together when the going gets tough. In the spirit of the season and in line with our cultural values, sharing and caring for our community is second nature to Sri Lankans.

As we move forward, we need to ensure that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. The suffering and uncertainty that we collectively endured should be considered a lesson that teaches us how to take the future steps carefully and collectively as one nation. As we step into Christmas Eve and approach the New Year, we would like to urge our readers to reflect on the path that we travelled and survived during the past few years, look at the lessons that we learnt or are yet to learn, and take pride in our efforts, patience, and strengths. We must enter tomorrow with the resolve to do better, be better and build a better Sri Lanka. A Merry Christmas to our readers.