593 Comfort Packs — Contributed by YOU

Dear friends,

Because of your kindness, a total of 593 Comfort Packs are serving children affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.

Every pack carries one little boy or girl a small step closer to feeling safe again. This page brings together the story of the campaign, where the packs went, how the funds were used, and a wall of gratitude to everyone who helped.

By the power of your act of generosity, may you and your loved ones never face shock or displacement due to a natural disaster.

With sincere gratitude,
Dinukshi Fernando
Founder – Loving Books

On this page

1. What was the Comfort Pack Campaign?
2. What is a Comfort Pack?
3. Impact & Distribution
4. How this campaign began
5. About “Nila and the Stormlight”
6. In the Media
7. Still waiting to reach a child
8. Wall of Gratitude & Deep Thanks
9. Comfort Pack Donors
10. Accounts & Accountability
11. Campaign Gallery

What was the Comfort Pack Campaign?

The Comfort Pack Campaign was a purely non-profit initiative by Loving Books Club to support children affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. No partner involved made any profit from this initiative.

Individuals were invited to contribute Rs. 1,000 towards a specially designed Comfort Pack, created to help children overcome fear and emotional distress caused by the cyclone. Donations were made via credit/debit card or bank transfer.

Every donor received free access to the Rainbow Breathing app and a digital copy of Nila and the Stormlight as a token of gratitude. The campaign ran from 8 December 2025 to 1 February 2026 (55 days).

What is a Comfort Pack?

Each Comfort Pack included:

• Nila and the Stormlight — a trilingual healing storybook created by Loving Books Club
• A soft toy
• A small candy

Impact & Distribution

Thanks to your generosity, 593 Comfort Packs are reaching children through trusted partners. The way the packs were funded and handed over was slightly different in each case.

In simple terms: some packs were fully funded and assembled by donors, some were funded through this Comfort Pack Campaign and assembled by us. The accounts below refer only to the 72 packs for which Loving Books actually received and used donor funds.

How this campaign began

This campaign was inspired by my daughter.

We lived opposite a relief shelter in Rajagiriya, and from our balcony we saw the severe difficulties faced by displaced children. One day, my daughter asked me a simple but heartbreaking question: “Where do they sleep?”

Children were sleeping in classrooms — without pillows, mattresses, mosquito nets, privacy, or toys. They felt small and unsafe. My daughter wanted to give away all her soft toys. I promised her that I would write a book to help these children heal.

That promise became Nila and the Stormlight. From an initial contribution of just 10 Comfort Packs, this campaign was born.

About “Nila and the Stormlight”

Nila and the Stormlight is a story about a 10-year-old girl who weathers Cyclone Ditwah. It is a trilingual book written for children aged 5–13.

The story gently shows how Nila uses simple techniques and methods to emerge as the hero of her own story. At the end of the book there are references to the main religions of Sri Lanka, which were used as the basis for the techniques Nila uses to overcome her circumstances.

Research suggests that children who are grounded in their religion, whatever it may be, are more resilient to mental disorders as teens and young adults. This is the basis of all our books: we draw on ancient wisdom and bring it to children in modern, exciting ways.

Nila and the Stormlight is also a S.M.A.R.T Book™ — a unique format created by Loving Books Club for infusing technology into physical books. For this campaign, each child also received access to a special Rainbow Breathing app, which helps them joyfully practise deep breathing to reduce anxiety.

In the Media

The Comfort Pack Campaign was highlighted in national media for its focus on children’s preventative mental health after the cyclone.

• NewsFirst – highlighted why this campaign matters for children’s wellbeing.
• HIRU TV – distributed the first 220 packs via the Hiru Sahana Yatra initiative - Watch the coverage

Still waiting to reach a child

Around 800 copies of Nila and the Stormlight have already been printed and are still waiting to reach children gravely in need. Thanks to the generosity of Sarasavi Bookshop, the book is printed and sold strictly at cost (Rs. 450), making it possible for more children to receive early emotional support.

If you or your organisation would like to use Nila and the Stormlight as part of future efforts to support children affected by crisis, please feel free to reach out at any time:

Email: lovingbooksclub@gmail.com
Phone: +94 72 578 2500

Wall of Gratitude & Deep Thanks

A Sangha Dāna was held on 7 February 2026 to dedicate merit and offer thanks to all who contributed or enabled this campaign. May the merit of this good deed bring peace, protection, and wellbeing to you and your loved ones.

This campaign exists because of you. With heartfelt gratitude, we thank every individual and organisation who chose to stand with children affected by Cyclone Ditwah, including:

• 🌈All Comfort Pack donors (listed below), whose kindness made every pack meaningful
• 🌈Sarasavi Bookshop — Ms. Amendra Haputhanthri, Ms. Sachini, and the staff of the Nugegoda branch — for printing 1,000 copies of Nila and the Stormlight at their expense and selling them at cost
• 🌈NewsFirst — Chevaan Daniel, Hashini Pathirana & team — for creating national awareness around the campaign
• 🌈HIRU TV — Hiru Sahana Yatra team and leadership — for responsibly distributing the first 220 Comfort Packs
• 🌈Orchid Soft Toys — for being the first contributor, and for donating 200 packs which helped spark a wider movement
• 🌈Anoma Yapa, Nimmi Ilangantilleke, and Dilrukshi — for their generous contribution of 100 packs and tremendous efforts, which made the Public Library distribution possible
• 🌈Ms. Sivanandini Duraisamy — for enabling 200 books through the Hindu Council of Sri Lanka
• 🌈UK Toys — for providing soft toys at cost, enabling more children to be reached
• 🌈Mayor of Colombo and the Colombo Public Library leadership — for selecting this initiative as part of the 100-year celebrations of the Colombo Public Library
• 🌈Dr. Piyavi Wijewardena — for thoughtful ideas on expanding the campaign
• 🌈Company leaders, HR teams, school friends, family, and countless individuals who helped spread the word and encouraged others to give
• 🌈And finally, my daughter, Minradha — the quiet source of this campaign, whose simple questions and gentle wisdom inspired it all

Comfort Pack Donors

The following donors helped bring comfort, safety, and joy to children after Cyclone Ditwah:

1. Eshani Wanigasekera
2. Harshini de Fonseka
3. Minradha Bandaranayake
4. Anoma Yapa
5. Salome Senaratne
6. Krishani Bastians
7. Ishan Wadugodapitiya
8. Sahan Nandula
9. Ayesha Rathnayake
10. Disna Jayasinghe
11. Shakoor
12. Sunimal Mendis
13. Vindya Mahavithana
14. Charith Fernando
15. Niranjan Abeyratne
16. Thalatha Wickramasinghe
17. Nuwan Bandaranayake
18. M. Z. M. Sabri
19. Piyakara Jayaratne
20. Ajithaa Edirimane
21. Dehara Gomes
22. Nayanie Bandaranayake
23. Vilasini Chandima Ranatunga
24. Nandanie Ranatunga
25. Anonymous
26. Mithrika Perera
27. Auradhi Navaratnam
28. Chrisanga Fernando
29. Hindu Council of Sri Lanka (pledged 200 packs)

Accounts & Accountability

We are committed to 100% fund transparency. Every single rupee donated through the Comfort Pack Campaign (for the 72 packs assembled by Loving Books) has been used directly for the campaign. No administrative or personal expenses were deducted.

Each donor has been sent a photo via WhatsApp of the signed handover sheet confirming the number of Comfort Packs they funded, with other donor information respectfully blacked out. Receipts and original photos can be shared on request for any donor who wishes to independently verify their contribution’s impact.

Income Summary

• Total Packs Donated through Loving Books accounts: 72 Comfort Packs
• Total Income Received (after payment gateway and bank transfer deductions): [Insert total income LKR]
• Average Cost per Pack: 1000 LKR

Expenditure Breakdown

Balance Summary

• Total Income: [Insert total income LKR]
• Total Expenditure: [Insert total expenditure LKR]
• Remaining Balance: LKR 0.00 (All funds used in the campaign)

Annexures A1–A9 are supported by image evidence, including packing process photos, the signed handover sheet (with only donor numbers visible), and procurement and transport visuals. Receipts and original photos can be shared upon request for any donor who wishes to independently verify their contribution’s impact.

Campaign Gallery

Moments from the Comfort Pack Campaign — from preparation to handover — made possible by your kindness.

The first 10 packs were donated by my daughter, and every pack after that carried forward the same spirit of compassion.

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