Until 1995, Bowatta in Welikanda was a resilient farming village where people built their lives through paddy and rain-fed farm (chena) cultivation. Thusitha moved to Bowatta in 1986 under the Mahaweli Development Program. Along with her husband and two sons, she successfully managed farming and business ventures. However, by the beginning of the 1990s, the heat of the war began to affect the village of Bowatta.
In 1995, a terrorist attack on Bowatta disrupted the lives of its residents. The attack claimed the lives of many individuals from about 30 families and devastated Thusitha’s family business. Shortly afterward, her husband also passed away. Today, her two sons are married and live separately. After the collapse of her business, Thusitha tried to rebuild her life by engaging in various self-employment ventures and is currently involved in poultry farming.
Thusitha dedicated herself to collaborating with various government and non-governmental organizations that came to the village to help rebuild the shattered lives of its residents. She particularly focuses on activities that ensure the well-being and development of women and children, dedicating her time and efforts to finding solutions to their social and economic issues.
As a woman living alone, Thusitha acknowledged facing various pressures from men but emphasized that she has been able to navigate and overcome these challenges with intelligence and determination.
- Christy Shelton Fernando
