STAND, EARN AND LEARN.

“It’s a struggle, but we never let it stop the children’s education. We cut back wherever we could.”

Renuka lives in Anuradapura with her husband and three kids. Money isn’t steady since her husband’s work varies, so she started a flower business to help. She keeps tuition going for her eldest who is studying hard to become a doctor, and hopes to one day build their own home.

“I never know what’ll happen to me. I can collapse at any time because of my condition, so I can’t find any work.”

Nirosha lives with her husband and 5 year-old son, managing a condition that drops her potassium without warning and lands her in hospital. Her husband does whatever work he can just to keep them going and she’s hoping to see her son grow up and stand on his own one day.

“There are days when we miss two or even all three meals. But I never tell the children. I carry that alone.”

Sugandika and her husband are raising three sons, relying on whatever daily labour he can find. When work dries up, they struggle to eat, but she doesn’t let her boys see that. She’s working to keep her youngest in school and hopes one day all three can stand on their own.

“My daughter was selected and needed things for campus but we couldn’t buy them for her. I cried that day.”

Thilakawathi and her husband are raising three kids on unpredictable casual work, and some days food runs short. She’s completed training to make a local snack food and hopes to turn it into a small business so her children can finish their studies and build good lives.

“Even when I work as hard as I can, it still falls short. That’s just how it has been.”

Ramani and her husband piece together income through tailoring, farming, and day labour in Anuradapura. Her priority is the children’s education. But their unfinished house is a constant pressure. She wants both children to grow up educated, settled and safe in their futures.

“Some days we get by on one meal. I borrow, I work, I pay it back, then I borrow again.”

Nisansala’s raising her 16-year-old alone, managing farming and day labour while her child sits for the O/L exams. Some days they’re down to one meal. She’s hoping to get her child through school and into a stable life, and to build a proper home of their own.

“My son got very sick. We were on our knees. Then my daughter lost her mind.”

Chandrawathi’s keeping her household afloat while her husband’s ill and her daughter can’t care for herself or her baby. She sells at the market four days a week and takes wage work when it’s available, and she hopes to educate her young grandson well.

“I can’t give my children what they ask for. Even school books – we can’t buy them.”

Deepthi lives in Anuradhapura with her husband and two sons, relying on his irregular casual work for money. She’s stretching every meal she can, but that is hard sometimes. She hopes to get her older son into English tuition before his exam next year. And wants both children to study well.

“I am bedridden. There’s no one to help us. My siblings are poor too. I feel sad inside.”

Iyirangani is bedridden after a heart attack, raising her grade-12 son on 5,000 rupees a month. Food is tight and she can’t cover all his tuition, but she hides her worry from him and hopes he’ll finish school and have a government job that will give him a steady future.