For most of the year, Sri Lanka's eastern riverside coast is a popular tourist destination known for its wildlife and eco-parks. People travel to see the deer, crocodiles, bears, leopards and wild elephants. It’s mostly a peaceful place, though occasionally wild elephants will damage modest homes near the nature preserve.
During the last three months of the year, however, the riverside communities brace themselves for heavy monsoon rains. The river swells with these rains, and rising waters can damage many people's homes when diversion practices — such as sandbag levees — aren’t prepared.
Wasana's family lived on the riverbank for over two decades in a beautiful place surrounded by fruit trees where the wild elephants would often come to drink water. Their home had been trampled by the elephants three times since they lived there, but they were always able to rebuild.
"I loved to have the fruits freshly plucked from the trees, especially in the evenings during sunset. This was my most favorite time of the day after returning home from the project," said 12-year-old Wasana, smiling.
Wasana's father works dredging sand for meager pay, and her mother stays home to care for the children, so they're grateful for the support they receive from the Compassion program at their local church.