UNICEF has issued an urgent call for support to provide emergency education kits for children forced from their homes by recent floods and landslides, stressing that thousands of young learners are at risk of falling behind.

The organisation is also seeking additional funding to supply safe drinking water, essential nutrition items, and psychosocial assistance for families struggling in the aftermath of the disaster.

According to preliminary assessments, more than 275,000 children are among the 1.4 million people affected nationwide.

UNICEF’s Sri Lanka Representative, Emma Brigham, expressed deep concern about the scale of the devastation and its impact on children.
“UNICEF is gravely worried about the destruction caused by the cyclone and the severe disruption to the essential services children rely on for protection and well-being,” she said. “We stand with the families who have suffered loss and displacement, and we extend heartfelt sympathies to all who are grieving.”

She emphasised the urgency of relief efforts, noting:
“Children need assistance immediately. This is a race against time to reach those who are most vulnerable and in desperate need of life-saving support. The cyclone may be over, but the hardships it created continue.”

The extensive damage to housing, schools, and key infrastructure has uprooted communities and heightened the risks of disease outbreaks, malnutrition, unsafe living conditions, and severe emotional trauma among children.

UNICEF continues to advocate for swift, sustained support to safeguard children’s education and well-being as recovery efforts unfold.