In late November 2025, the skies over Sri Lanka turned a heavy, relentless grey. Cyclone Ditwah didn’t just bring rain; it brought a paralyzing uncertainty. As floodwaters severed main supply routes and inundated entire suburbs, the Rotaract Club of SLIIT stepped into the void.

This mission was initiated by the Community Service Director, Rtr. Chanudi Amaratunga, who presented an urgent proposal for immediate relief. Recognizing the sheer scale of the disaster, the project quickly evolved from a club initiative into a university-wide movement when Secretary Rtr. Dulasha Annasiwatta proposed a strategic collaboration with the Student Interactive Society (SIS) led by Madushan Dheerasooriya, a motion instantly approved by President Rtr. Yasith Adithya.

Together, they transformed the university’s spirit of service into a mobilized frontline response force, with the Rotaract Club taking the lead to oversee complex logistics, procurement, and external communications, while the SIS took over the massive task of volunteer mobilization and unifying the various faculty student communities.

Sahaya 360 roared into life with Phase 1: Immediate Response & Stabilization, a high-intensity operation where every second counted. With the cyclone still raging, the mission began not in a boardroom, but in the living rooms of our Organizing Committee members. Because the routes to the SLIIT campus were completely submerged, we launched a decentralized “Home-Base” collection drive on November 29th, turning personal residences into emergency drop-off points to bypass the flooded infrastructure.

As the waters receded slightly on November 30th, these scattered resources were consolidated at the university, officially establishing SLIIT as our Command Hub. From this central engine, the success of Phase 1 unfolded rapidly: we first secured our own university community by delivering food and water to stranded SLIIT and CINEC students, then expanded our reach to the Panagoda Army Camp and Kotalawala Maha Vidyalaya. The operation finally peaked with a massive inter-district deployment to the Hill Country, reaching Kandy, Nawalapitiya, and Gampola. By the time Phase 1 concluded on December 9th, we hadn’t just delivered supplies; we had successfully stabilized hundreds of lives during the most desperate window of the disaster.

Sahaya 360 was more than just a logistical triumph; it was a profound demonstration of empathy in action. By evolving from a decentralized “home-based” collection into a sophisticated inter-district operation, the project proved that a unified student body is a formidable force for national resilience. We didn’t just deliver boxes; we delivered a sense of security and dignity during a time of absolute chaos. Ultimately, the success of Phase 1 served as a powerful reminder thatwhen youth leadership and community spirit align, even the most devastating storms cannot stand in the way of meaningful change.

As we conclude Phase 1, our hearts are already set on Phase 2, where we begin the long-term journey of restoring educational sanctuaries for the children affected by the storm.

Penned By:

Rtr. Hafsa Rifai

Editorial Committee Member 25.26