LankaLife

Smiles in Kalutura

I've been taking a lot of pictures of Sri Lankan children lately. Their smiles, their waves, and their gazes at the unusual sight of a white-skinned lady reflect their innocence and sense of wonder, free of adult worries.

I'm sure my choice of subject matter is rising in direct relation to the rise in violence in the country. It's been called a "low-scale war", low-intensity and high-intensity fighting, and a "slide back to full-scale civil war". Whatever you call it, it's hell - a place children should never find themselves in.

This photo is taken at a temple pre-school next door to one of our projects in Kalutura district, about one hour south of Colombo. It's hard to believe that only about 300 kilometres away, kids in the North and East are trapped in make-shift camps, fleeing with their parents from violence in their towns. Worse yet, they're often caught in the wrong place at the wrong time as they live in the midst of the conflict.

The Kalutura project, a partnership with Christian Children's Fund of Canada, provides employment for many local women and some of their children are cared for at the temple. Moms can visit their children throughout the day, share meals, and show a familiar face. The children seem to be in a safe place and as you can see from their smiles, it shows.

Every child should be able to smile with the same sense of security.

Read more about children caught in the conflict at Unicef.