08/13/2026
A ceremony to formally hand over humanitarian and search-and-rescue equipment donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to strengthen rapid response and rescue operations in Sri Lanka was held on July 28, 2026, at the premises of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in Colombo.
The donation was initiated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Los Angeles, United States, at the request of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Los Angeles. It forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster preparedness and emergency response capabilities, particularly in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which affected Sri Lanka in November 2025.
The donation included generators, emergency relief kits, chainsaws, VHF communication sets, and hydraulic cutting equipment. These essential tools will enhance the DMC’s capacity to conduct search-and-rescue operations more efficiently during floods, landslides, and other disasters. They will also facilitate the rapid delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected communities and further strengthen the operational capacity of the Disaster Management Centre.
Ms. Achini Perera, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Los Angeles, paid a visit to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Los Angeles to express her appreciation for the generous donation. During the visit, she conveyed a letter of appreciation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka to Mr. Matthew Ball, Director of International and Public Affairs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recognizing the organization’s valuable contribution to strengthening Sri Lanka’s disaster preparedness and emergency response capacity.
Representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Ms. Rekha Mallikarachchi, Minister (Commerce) of the Consulate General also attended the meeting.
