The Pursuit of Happiness
“Smile.” As we were about to press the shutter button to take a family portrait of Yohan and his family, they instinctively wrapped their arms around each other and flashed us their best smile.
Just a few months ago, this photo would not have been possible and not a single laughter could be heard from this family. “My parents were always shouting and fighting. They did not have time for my brother and me. It was a very difficult time,” said 11-year-old Yohan, who had his six-year-old brother Vihanga next to him.
His father, 30-year-old Nishantha, would get frustrated because he had nobody to talk to after a tiring day at work. His mother, 31-year-old Deepika, was constantly feeling burdened by house chores and worrying about their next meal, which added to her anger issues.
The couple’s fights were frequent and violent that they were often at the police station to settle their arguments. Nishantha had to be bailed out a couple of times as well.
But things at home has improved by leaps and bounds since Nishantha and Deepika participated in a World Vision workshop called Celebrating Families where they learned the importance of building a safe and loving home for their children. They have found ways to communicate and avoid responding in anger.
Nishantha does odd jobs for a living but since Sri Lanka’s economic crisis in 2022, jobs have been scarce and like many other families, they have to depend heavily on paddy farming for food and income.
With their parents’ transformation, Yohan and Vihanga can now grow up in a safe, loving and caring environment.
For three months a year (during growing season), the family spend their nights in a hut in the paddy field to keep watch because hungry elephants will raid the crops and trample the fields every night. But for this family, staying in the hut is not something they dread, but something they enjoy doing together. Yohan, in particular, looks forward to going there every night.
The hut is where Deepika prepares their dinner, where the family eat together, where Nishantha spends time teaching Yohan the constellations, where Vihanga can run around freely and where the couple stay up all night talking about their day and hopes for their future while keeping watch over the field.
It is a joy to see the family enjoy a close relationship and constantly sharing laughter with each other.
Two years ago while gathering firewood, Yohan was poked in the eye, making him unusually sensitive to light so he has to wear glasses to protect his eyes. Here, Yohan shows off a self-portrait.
Every night at the hut, Nishantha will start a fire for light and warmth, and the family will sit around it to have their dinner.
Breaking the cycle of poverty requires more than just providing access to basic necessities like education, clean water, livelihood opportunities and healthcare. It is a complex issue but one thing is for certain – a child’s parents have the greatest influence on their well-being.
At World Vision, we work to help families enjoy positive and loving relationships so that children can grow up in a safe and nurturing environment. Join the 30-Hour Famine and help families like Yohan’s!
