Maldives raises $800K for Sri Lanka cyclone survivors
Island nation mobilizes major media-led relief drive as Cyclone Ditwah death toll climbs, highlighting regional solidarity in South Asia
MALE, Maldives (MNTV) — The people of the Maldives have raised $800,352 in a nationwide fundraising telethon to support survivors of Cyclone Ditwah in neighboring Sri Lanka, marking one of the country’s largest recent humanitarian relief efforts driven by public participation and media collaboration.
The campaign, titled “Ceylon Aa Eku Dhivehin” — translated roughly as “Maldivians Together for Ceylon (Sri Lanka)” — was organized by the Maldives’ state broadcaster Public Service Media (PSM) in partnership with nearly 40 media outlets across the country.
The marathon telethon ran from 9:00 a.m. on 30 November to 2:00 p.m. on 1 December, engaging thousands of donors both on-site and online.
At a handover ceremony at PSM studios on Monday, Abdulla Yameen Rasheed, Deputy Managing Director of PSM, formally presented the collected funds to Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Khaleel, who confirmed the contribution would be transferred to the Government of Sri Lanka the following day to support emergency response efforts.
Minister Khaleel praised the fundraising initiative, saying it reflects the long-standing social, cultural and economic ties between the two Indian Ocean neighbors. Sri Lanka and Maldives share close travel, trade and education links, with thousands of Maldivians studying or receiving medical treatment in Sri Lanka, and many Sri Lankans employed across the Maldivian tourism and construction sectors.
The financial audit and verification process of the telethon was overseen by Crowe Maldives, an international auditing firm that partnered with PSM to ensure transparency and credential validation.
Cyclone Ditwah has triggered widespread flooding and landslides across Sri Lanka, with the Disaster Management Centre reporting 474 deaths, 356 people missing and large-scale infrastructure destruction.
Rescue teams continue to work through devastated areas as fears grow of rising casualties and disease outbreaks.
Analysts say the fundraising drive underscores growing regional disaster cooperation in South Asia, where climate-driven superstorms are becoming more frequent and deadly. The Maldives itself is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, facing rising sea levels and increasing storm intensity.
The telethon’s success highlights both public generosity and cross-border solidarity, with organizers saying the effort demonstrates how smaller nations can lead powerful humanitarian responses even with limited resources.
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