I have four children, my husband was badly injured at work and this now means that I must find a way forward – for his health costs, looking after my children, and putting food on the table. I am also unable to educate my children properly – I want them to have a better life but I don’t know how I can give them that.

My husband and I have dealt with a lot of trauma and because of that, and all the pressures we have had because of our poverty, our minds have gone a lot and we need to take medicine to keep going most days. I have 2 children and my mother that we all have to look after. We don’t have water access and it is difficult to get regular waged work so at the moment we have little path forward to meet our basic food needs.

Nishanthi has three daughters, and her youngest, who is 4, suffers from a severe skin disease, which adds significant health costs. Her husband works as a laborer but often doesn’t give her money, leaving her struggling to feed, educate, and ensure her youngest receives the care she needs. She needs to stand on her own two feet but doesn't know how to take the first step.

Bhavani is 54 years old and takes care of her four children. Her husband earns money but spends it all on drinking, so Bhavani only has a small government welfare payment to support her family. This money is not enough to feed and care for her children properly. She faces violence and poverty daily, and her biggest wish is to have enough money to provide for her children's needs.

Vanuya has two children who go to school. Her husband, a laborer, only works two days per week due to his addiction to alcohol. This causes frequent problems at home and negatively affects their children's education. Vanuya struggles daily with these challenges, trying to manage her life and ensure her children can study. Their basic needs and livelihood are primarily supported by welfare payments, which are insufficient to cover all their expenses.

Mathivathani is tough – she has to be. Her husband fell ill, making it difficult for him to work due to problems with his legs. Now, she must care for him, pay medical bills, and support and educate their two children. Without any core skills and trapped in debt, Mathivathani struggles each day to make ends meet.

My family faces many hardships. My husband was injured in the war and is unable to work, and both of us are blind. We have three children to care for, and every day we must walk 2 kilometers to fetch water for drinking, bathing, and other needs. My husband struggles with alcoholism, which leads to domestic violence and makes our life even harder. Our children also face difficulties at school due to the lack of water.

My husband works as a wage earner, but we have no permanent home, no electricity, no toilet, and no water facilities. We live in constant hardship, barely earning enough to meet our food needs. Our life is a daily struggle for basic survival. Every day feels like an endless battle against poverty, and our situation remains bleak with no hope of improvement. We worry constantly about the future, and it's heartbreaking to see our children grow up in these conditions.

My family lives in heartbreaking conditions. We have no well, no toilet, no electricity, and no safe house. We can’t afford uniforms for our school-going children. My husband, a heart patient, can only work one or two days a week, and his income is far from enough to meet our food needs. Our youngest child is malnourished. Every day is a struggle to survive, and we desperately need help. Your support could bring much-needed hope and stability to our lives.

Kaliyamma's youngest child is sick and needs regular visits to the health clinic. This requires her to earn enough each month to cover medical expenses, as well as to educate and feed her other two children. Kaliyamma often goes without to ensure her children have what they need. This is a sacrifice she willingly makes to provide for their health and education.

Saththiyapama is 62 years old, and when her husband got sick, everything changed. She was dependent on his income, and after his illness, they fell into debt and poverty. Now they survive on a small amount from the government, but it is not enough for her family.

Sivakumary is a widow living in desperate circumstances. After her husband died of illness, she was left alone to care for their five children. With two daughters staying in a boarding home for safety and the other three at home, she cannot leave for work regularly. She relies solely on the small welfare payment, which is insufficient to meet their daily needs. Occasionally, she finds work nearby, but every day is a struggle to provide enough food and essentials for her children.

Nanthakumar lives with his family under challenging conditions. He has three children: the eldest daughter is attending university, and the other two are still in school. During the war, he lost his hearing, making it difficult for him to find consistent work. His wife also suffers from visual impairment but occasionally manages to find work. Their family's needs and children's education are primarily supported by small welfare payments, which are barely sufficient to cover their expenses.

When we meet Dayalini, she is worried about how she will meet the food and educational needs of her three children. Her husband works helping landowners with their harvests, but there is never consistent work, forcing them to borrow money to meet basic needs. This has trapped them in a cycle of debt that is difficult to escape.

Rasalaxsumy has five children, four of whom are in school. Her husband had a severe accident that left him with significant mental impairments, rendering him unable to work. This leaves Rasalaxsumy with the immense responsibility of raising five children, caring for her husband, and keeping their household running. She works as a laborer whenever possible, but she knows that starting a small home business could drastically improve their situation.

Priya has two children who are currently at school. Her husband works daily wage jobs, but there are times when he doesn’t find work. As a result, they sometimes struggle to afford even one meal a day. Without enough money to meet their daily needs, their routine life is a constant struggle for survival.

Mathevy has three children; two are at school, and one stays at home with her. This makes it difficult for her to go to work. Her husband rarely provides enough money for the basics like food and education. Despite these challenges, Mathevy is determined to earn a small income while caring for her children at home to manage their basic needs.

I have three school-aged children. My husband works as a wage earner, but we live without a safe house and only have a small, unsafe drinking water facility. On our one acre of muddy land, I struggle to cultivate groundnuts on a small scale. Our living conditions are harsh, with constant struggles for necessities like food and education. We dream of improving our lives, but we lack the money to start. Our situation feels hopeless, and every day is a battle to survive.

My name is Merymedona. I have two daughters who are both in school. My husband is handicapped and works for daily wages to meet our needs, but it’s not enough. We have no well, and my husband’s alcohol addiction makes things worse. We live in miserable conditions, and our house remains unfinished.

My name is Inthirasa. I have one son and two daughters. My husband suffers from a spinal problem, so my son occasionally takes on daily wage jobs to help meet our food needs. We have some land and a tube well, but we lack the materials needed to move forward. We are struggling to meet our daily needs.

My name is Merikalinstala. I live in an unsafe house with my husband, who drinks heavily, and our two daughters. We face constant violence and live in poverty, often going without food. We have no water or electricity, and bushes have overgrown around our home, leaving us feeling trapped and hopeless.

My name is Perinpanayaki. We are a family of six with four sons. Three of my sons go to school, and one is a baby. My husband is an alcoholic, and his income doesn’t support us. I work hard to meet our daily needs, but it’s tough. Because of my husband's drug addiction, it is hard to cover my children's basic needs and education expenses

My name is Nirmala. We are a family of three. I am ill, and my husband’s wage barely covers my hospital bills and basic needs. His alcoholism makes things worse. We live in poverty and struggle to survive. I want to give my children a better future but it is hard.

My name is Kamaladevi. We are a family of five living in an unfinished house with no water facility. I have three daughters, and my husband does daily-wage work. We rely solely on his earnings to meet our daily food needs. Our school-going children share one bicycle, which makes it very difficult to travel with three of them. For water, we depend on our neighbour’s supply.

My name is Renuka. I have three young children, including a set of twins. My husband isn’t skilled so he works as a labourer when there is work. We haven’t been able to build our house, secure a toilet and we have no well for water. Days are hard – but we are trying to press on.

My name is Anistala. In the final days of the war my husband lost his leg but he still tries to work whenever he can because we need a way to feed our children. We don’t have bicycles so everything takes long to do, and without a well and toilet it is hard to find a way forward.

My name is Vinothiny. I have two daughters and we live in a temporary house with no water facilities or access to a toilet. My husband goes for daily labour when he gets work and we try to manage our food with that, but we need a pathway forward to really bring up our children.

My name is Makeswary. I am a single mother to my 10-year-old son, who is in school. We live without basic facilities like a well, toilet, or electricity, and our home has broken windows and doors. I have a speech impairment and am seen as disabled, which makes our situation even more challenging when trying to get work.

My name is Anthonippillai. I have a three-year-old daughter who needs ongoing medical treatment. My husband earns a daily wage, but any injury can leave him unable to work for weeks, making it hard for us to afford food. We rely on a neighbour's well for water, and every day is a struggle. I really need help to support my family during this challenging time.