When heavy rains and flooding swept across Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah in November 2025, the impact was devastating, affecting lives in ways words can hardly capture.
SearchMax is a Melbourne-based digital marketing agency with offices in Sri Lanka and the Philippines, comprising individuals from different backgrounds who work closely across borders every day. While our work connects us professionally, it is the relationships we build as a team that truly define who we are. These connections also make us deeply aware of the challenges faced by the communities in which we live and work. However, when heavy rains and flooding swept across Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah in November 2025, the impact was devastating, affecting lives in ways words can hardly capture.
With over 2 million people affected, hundreds of lives lost, and countless still missing, we chose to pause our usual end-of-year event and redirect that budget to flood relief. While these celebrations are something we hold close to our hearts, it was one of those moments that reminded us how fragile everyday life can be, and how important it is to show up for one another. As a country, Sri Lanka has faced many challenges in recent years, and again and again, it is the quiet generosity of individuals and communities that has carried people through.
What stood out most was how naturally our team came together, driven by a shared sense of responsibility and a genuine desire to help wherever we could. It felt like the right thing to do, not as a sacrifice, but as a choice rooted in empathy. We collectively decided to redirect those funds, along with our individual contributions, toward supporting families and communities affected by the cyclone. We chose to contribute to the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, a trusted humanitarian organisation, to ensure support reaches those who need it most. Our contributions included dry rations, clothing, baby formula and diapers, and other essentials to help families who had been displaced or were struggling to meet their daily needs.
As part of our second phase of donations, we are collaborating with a government school that has identified 50 students who were affected by floods and are still living in makeshift homes and camps. We are grateful to be able to help these children start the year with a fresh, new pair of shoes and uniforms. While our contribution is just one small part of a much larger collective effort happening across the country, we believe what matters most isn’t how much is given, but taking a step forward together as a country.
Although this effort was never about recognition, we share this in hopes of encouraging giving in any form, by companies or individuals. You don’t need large budgets or formal campaigns to make a difference. Sometimes it’s as simple as a team choosing to come together as one. For anyone wondering how to help, start with what you can. Even small actions, when multiplied, can bring real relief and renewed hope. As Sri Lanka continues its recovery, we remain grateful to our team, to the resilience of affected communities, and to other companies and individuals whose acts of kindness help the country move forward. If this story inspires even one person to take a similar step, however small, then it has already served its purpose. In times of hardship, unity is our greatest strength, and together, we can always do more.
