The Face of Sri Lanka

The nation of Sri Lanka is a teardrop-shaped island off the coast of India, known for a myriad of wonders that combine to make it a lush paradise.

- By José Jeuland

Their daily lives

The nation of Sri Lanka is undergoing its worst crisis since its independence in 1948.

At the time of writing, the country's financial reserves have been almost depleted, and its citizens suffer as a lack of fuel, food, and power disrupt their daily lives of the people. Protestors line the streets demanding the president's resignation, and angry mobs have set the houses and offices of government officials on fire. Chaos and anger are seeping into every nook and cranny of the community.

To see Sri Lanka in such a state is heartbreaking for me. It is a place I hold dear, one of the first places I started as a travel and documentary photographer, and one I have revisited many times since. I have made countless memories and many friends in Sri Lanka, and it is a country I will always want to return to. To know that my friends are in such an overwhelming and dangerous situation fills me with worry.

After all, the average everyday citizen suffers and bears the brunt of suffering in situations like these. In troubled times like these, I want to commemorate the people living in such adversity and uncertainty and remind everyone of Sri Lanka's beauty and its people's resilience.

José Jeuland © All rights reserved

The Troubles of Sri Lanka

The nation of Sri Lanka is a teardrop-shaped island off the coast of India, known for a myriad of wonders that combine to make it a lush paradise.

However, even before its political and economic troubles in 2022, Sri Lanka had a troubled history. After years of colonialization by the Dutch, Portuguese and British, Sri Lanka declared independence in 1948, only to be marked by years of strife and civil war beginning in 1972.

José Jeuland © All rights reserved