Sri Lankan performer GK Reginold navigates a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, hoping to bring essential supplies to those in urgent circumstances.
Many families, he explains, have gone without help for days, cut off by the country's worst weather disaster in recent years.
Cyclone Ditwah lashed the country last week, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 400 people, with hundreds missing and leveled 20,000 homes.
But the flooding has also inspired a rise in volunteerism, as people face what the president has described as the "gravest natural disaster" in its history.
"The main reason why I wanted to do this, is to at least ensure they get one meal," Mr Reginold states. "And I was deeply gratified that I was able to do that."
More than one million people have been impacted by the disaster and a national emergency has been announced.
The armed forces has deployed helicopters for search and rescue, while relief assistance is flowing in from international partners and aid groups.
But it will be a lengthy process to recovery for the nation, which has seen its share of difficulties in recent years.
In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, activists who demonstrated in 2022 are now operating a community kitchen that churns out food aid.
The protests from three years ago were driven by a spiralling economic crisis that caused lack of fuel, food and medicine. Public anger exploded and led to a leadership shift. Now, that political activism is being channelled toward disaster response.
"People came after work, some took turns and some even took leave to be there," a social media activist explains.
"We mobilized our network as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday," he says.
The organizer also views the kitchen as an "extension" of his volunteer work in 2016, when torrential rain and floods killed hundreds across the country.
The team have compiled hundreds of calls for assistance, sent the information to authorities, and managed the distribution of food.
"Whatever we asked for, we got more than enough in response from the community," he says.
A flurry of activity is also happening online, where social media users have created a public database to direct donations and volunteers.
Another volunteer-backed website helps donors find shelters and see what is in highest demand in those areas.
Private companies have organized fundraising efforts, while local television channels have initiated an campaign to provide food and basic necessities like soap and toothbrushes.
Amid criticism over the handling of storm readiness, the president has urged citizens to "put aside all political differences" and "come together to rebuild the nation".
Critics have accused authorities of disregarding weather warnings, which they say exacerbated the disaster's effects.
Recently, opposition lawmakers staged a walkout in parliament, claiming that the ruling party was trying to limit debate on the disaster.
In affected communities, however, there remains a sense of unity as people begin the cleanup after the floods.
"In the end, the joy of helping someone else in a crisis makes that tiredness fade," one volunteer wrote after working long hours at relief sites.
"Crises are not new to us. But, the empathy and size of our hearts is larger than the destruction that occurs during a disaster."
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