This photo was taken for a post-tsunami recovery project based in Madampagama on the south west coast of Sri Lanka. The project is a joint effort between The Sustainable Trust in the UK and The Centre for Environment and Development in Sri Lanka. For more details on this project click here.

Having successfully captured a shot of this lovely village elder and his wife, and before I left their house, I noticed the old man had sat down in this chair to continue shucking peas. He had such a beautiful face full of wisdom and just that hint of mischief often apparent in older people. I couldn't resist asking for a photo and he was more than happy to oblige. That's the thing that struck me the most about him, and the elder villagers; they were really happy it seemed, and that's despite all that they had recently been through. How many older people in such so called priviledged positions in the west are that happy? In my experience, not as many. Although Grandfather is a general term that refers to all respected elders, particularly in native American circles, I referred to this wonderful man as Grandfather also because he epitomised the characteristics of the grandfather I wished I still had; kindness, wisdom and a hint of mischief.

 

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