Cosmopolitan_SriLanka_December_2016

a rt dirECtion:

sanora rodrigo;

medhavi suriarachchi

p hotographEr’s

assistant:

lakWin madushanka

M

y family

and I

moved to

Sri Lanka

because

it was a great hub from

which I could continue my

work, and a country where

I desired to do so much.

There’s a huge amount of

shelters all over the island,

but not enough vocational

training within to allow

girls to transition into a

normal life. Additionally,

street harassment is such an

issue. What’s most worrying

is that the behaviour of men

from the “lost generation”

(those who gave up their

moral compass during the

war) is now being emulated

by their sons—along

with the added negative

influence of the Internet.

How do you remedy it? You

can’t react with violence.

The solution lies in

education and awareness.

Not every man thinks you

need to be fighting for

women’s rights, but what’s

inspirational about the

younger generation is that

they want to be empowered,

they want to learn and they

want to make a change.

Looking back on that day

in hospital, I now know

why I survived. And by

doing what I love and am

passionate about, I am

more balanced. I like to tell

immensely career-minded

women that there doesn’t

have to be this competition:

If you’re good at your job,

you’ll succeed. Believe in

yourself, push away the

fear that another woman is

out to get you and focus on

doing your best.

In my field, I often find

women are less judgmental,

understanding each other’s

problems because they keep

an open mind. They know

when not to ask you too

many questions. They’ll

just give you a hug and a

shoulder to cry on. And

by hearing one another’s

stories, it brings about a

feeling of catharsis and a

sense that no matter what

you’ve gone through, you

can rise above it and make

something of yourself.

In baking, and in life, you

have to start small, using

recipes and scales. Once you

get more confident, you can

begin to tweak it a bit, until

you have the recipe you

love, and the circumstances

that suit you best. For me?

I like my cakes with Earl

Grey tea and a slice of

lemon, always with Nina

Simone on the radio.

in baking, and in life, you have to start

small, using recipes and scales. once

you get more confident, you can begin to

tWeak it a bit, until you have the recipe

you love, and the circumstances that

suit you best. for me? i like my cakes

With earl grey tea and a slice of lemon,

alWays With nina simone on the radio.

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