Nadeeka poses with her young son in her home before leaving for work near Kandy, Sri Lanka. Nadeeka is a tuk tuk driver in an industry dominated by men.
Nadeeka lives in a small, one-bedroom home with her husband, child, younger sister and mother. Nadeeka's sister works in a garment factory and works a late shift so that she can care for the baby while her sister drives a tuk tuk.
Nadeeka worked through her ninth month of pregnancy and returned to work when her child was two months old. She owns her tuk tuk, which she purchased, used, with a loan. Most of her work involves driving children to and from school, and driving women to and from markets. She has a loyal clientele that keeps her busy during daylight hours, without having to hustle for business or compete with other drivers.
From my personal project, "Woman" discovering women's empowerment in Sri Lanka created in and around Kandy, Sri Lanka.