After 25 years of Civil War and the 2004 tsunami that took 35,000 people’s lives, the Swedes have now begun to discover Sri Lanka. Between 2009 and 2015, the number of Swedish tourists in the country has doubled five times.
The country is still very poor, which is noticeable for anyone visiting Sri Lanka. About 40% of Sri Lankan’s population lives in what is categorized as “deep poverty”, with less than $ 1.5 a day to spend. Many of them are children. Unemployment is a major problem, and women are twice as likely as men to be unemployed. In addition, women mostly work in the informal sector, which increases the gap in income.
Education is the way out of poverty and vulnerability – by letting children go to school, they can improve their changes of getting a better life.