In 2020, the world was devastated by an outbreak of COVID-19. People were confined to their homes and workplaces and their freedom was restricted. In Sri Lanka, the imposition of a curfew across the country led many communities vulnerable. In light of this, Sarvodaya Shanthi Sena Sansadaya along with the United Nations Development Programme started a series of online dialogues with 10 district level Civil Society Leaders’ Committees consisting of religious, community, women and youth leaders (25 per district) representing 10 selected administrative districts in Sri Lanka, which were severely affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

All the stories in this publication are based on real events shared by fellow Sri Lankans. These stories are published with due permission, with names and places changed to protect the identity of the contributors.