Urgent Infrastructure Project Provides Critical Disaster Response Care
By Emily Umble, BBF Assistant Director of Programs
Sri Lanka, the beautiful island nation in the Indian Ocean, faces significant risks from frequent natural disasters, cyclones being one of the most destructive. Cyclonic Storm Ditwah arrived in Sri Lanka in November 2025, causing severe flooding and landslides in the central highlands. Emergency shelters for displaced families became a necessity in the Passara Division, Badulla District, one of the hardest hit districts by Cyclone Ditwah.
Sri Lanka is an island nation located just off the southeastern tip of India, in the Indian Ocean
Immediately following the news of this disaster, Liam Carstens, Vice President of Programs for Brother’s Brother Foundation (BBF), began communications within our network of NGOs to learn more about the conditions and ways to provide aid. One of those communications was with a long-time BBF partner, Solar Village Project.
Solar Village Project (SVP) had been able to determine during a joint rapid needs assessment following the storm that the Illipathanna Primary School, located in the Passara Division, was operating largely without electricity as an emergency shelter and health clinic. Displaced persons, including children, elderly people, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses as well as healthcare professionals were forced to function without reliable lighting, refrigeration for medicines, or safe power for basic medical devices.
The expressed need for this primary school was critical energy access, requiring installation of a solar PV (photovoltaic) system with battery back-up. This new system would ensure essential indoor and outdoor lighting, power fans, refrigeration for medicines/vaccines, power for nebulizers and other medical devices, as well communications, such as central phone-charging.
BBF went into action to issue a grant to SVP, supplying the funds for SVP to design, install, and manage the operations, maintenance, and training for the new energy system.
Reflecting on this alliance, Liam stated: “Brother’s Brother Foundation is pleased to be working once again with SVP on an impactful project for the Illipathanna Primary School.”
The incredible outcome of this solar project, which was completed in early February, is the transformation of the Illipathanna Primary School to serve as an official Solar-Powered Relief Center, specifically designed to provide around-the-clock essential services during a disaster. It will now support not only daily education but also future emergency deployment for a region vulnerable to natural disasters.