Healing young minds after Cyclone Ditwah

Natural disasters leave behind more than damaged homes and flooded roads. Long after the waters recede, emotional scars—especially among children and adolescents—often remain unseen and unaddressed. While academic activities resumed, many students continued to struggle with anxiety, suppressed stress, and emotional fatigue—much of it predating the disaster but intensified by the disaster. In the wake of the Dithwa cyclone, this hidden psychological burden became evident among schoolchildren in the Gampola area

 Responding to this urgent need, a structured psychosocial intervention titled “Healthy Minds and Rebuild a Resilient Personality” was conducted on 26 and 27 January 2026 at Jinaraja Girls’ School, Gampola, reaching nearly 1,000 students from Grades 6 to Advanced Level, including prefects and teachers.

The programme was organised by Believe In You, a motivational youth development organisation headed by Thanuja Wijesinghe, in collaboration with the Lions Club of Galupura Central, and funded by Empower Serendib, a Sri Lankan non-governmental organisation committed to community resilience and psychosocial wellbeing

An important insight emerged during the sessions: for many students, the cyclone did not create emotional distress—it released it. Mental-health professionals observed that the disaster acted as a psychological trigger, lowering emotional defences and allowing students to finally express long-suppressed pressures related to academic stress, family challenges, and personal insecurity. In this sense, Dithwa became the doorway through which hidden stress surfaced.

Thanuja with the children

A key strength of the initiative was its multidisciplinary professional team, which included:

• Youth development and adult education specialists

• Senior psychologists and psychotherapists

• Government psychological counselling officers

• Hospital-based psychologists

• Psychology lecturers and academic trainers

• Addiction and behavioural counsellors

• Art therapists

• Journalists, artists, and motivational speakers sharing lived-experience success stories

Therapist at play with children

 The programme demonstrated that targeted, professionally led mental-health interventions can produce meaningful impact within a short timeframe. As Sri Lanka faces increasing climate-related disasters, recovery must extend beyond physical reconstruction. Investing in the emotional resilience of our children is essential—not optional—for sustainable national recovery.