Last handful of fish: Crisis pushes more Sri Lankans into poverty

S. Gayathri (L), 29, and her mother M. Saraswathi (R), 59, pose at their house. "We used to have all three meals, but now we skip breakfast. We are now waiting until my brother brings home some rice," said Gayathri. "After this we won’t have any vegetables left."

Gayathri displays the only food her family currently have while she waits for her brother to bring home some rice.

Chandra Thushari Peiris, 42, poses at her food kiosk. "We had a good business at our kiosk," she said. "Since we used to eat the leftovers from our kiosk we didn’t have any problem with food... But during the pandemic, and more so the present economic crisis, we didn’t get any customers. Although we want to restart we don’t have any capital."

Peiris poses with a cup and dish which she uses at her food kiosk while her grandson looks on.

Sageeth Dinsara, 8, poses while his younger sister rests on a bed. "Educating children has become very tough," said Dinsara's grandfather. "In addition to skyrocketing prices and other expenses which have gone out of reach for low income families such as us, the biggest obstacle is the transport fare to and from school."

Dinsara displays his notebook.

Velu C. M. Sivakanthi, 47, shows the only rice her family currently has at her home. "We live here with two daughters, a son and a grandchild,”she said. “My husband left me after I got injured in a cooking gas explosion. Since I don’t have a job I have no other option but to work in a bungalow where I get Rs 1,500 a day, if I have work. But that is not at all enough to manage our family of four. We have rice only for two days."

The only rice that Sivakanthi’s family currently has is left on a table at her home.

Priyani Dhammika, 53, poses with her son while making betel stacks with areca nut and tobacco leaves popularly used by Sri Lankans to chew on. "Business is very difficult now," she said. "Earlier, a sheath of betel was around Rs 50 but that has skyrocketed to around Rs 200, sometimes even to around Rs 350 or 400. The price of an areca nut which was around Rs 5 has tripled to around Rs 15."

Dhammika makes betel stacks with areca nut and tobacco leaves popularly used by Sri Lankans to chew on.

Retired soldier Saman Priyantha, 51, poses with his prosthetic leg. "I joined the Sri Lanka Army in 1989, and in 1992 I lost my leg to a land mine," he said. "I am receiving a pension of Rs 40,000 to 45,000, but that is not enough to sustain my family of five."

Priyantha displays a photo taken when he was in the Sri Lanka Army.

Sivaraja Sanjeewan, 31, takes a bath at a public well. "We have a tap water connection but it’s very difficult to pay water and electricity bills in addition to the rising costs of food. So now I bathe in a public well more often in order to save money," said the auto rickshaw driver.

Sanjeewan poses with his bucket and soap which he uses to take a bath at a public well.

K. P. R. Priyadarshani, 54, poses with her 16-year-old son Ramika Lakdin in her home. "For the last two years, I have sewed clothes for a kids' clothing shop. But with the onset of the economic crisis, we have experienced a drastic drop in the buying of clothing, as people don’t have money to buy food, let alone clothes. I expected to earn more but it's very difficult because of the present economic conditions," said Priyadarshani.

Priyadarshani works with her sewing machine in her home.

Road sweeper W. M. Irangani, 58, poses in front of a Buddhist altar at her house. "Our water and electricity supplies were disconnected during the COVID-19 crisis but still we had food. But this far, far worse," she said. "I am scared to borrow as I have no way of repaying. Already I am in huge debt. I only pray that this economic crisis improves for all and we have enough food to eat."

Irangani poses with a coconut oil lamp.