This photo series highlights the subtle but profound transition in Sri Lanka's tea industry. In the rolling hills of the Central Highlands, women of Tamil descent have been picking tea leaves for more than 150 years with low wages and limited prospects. Sri Lanka's colonial legacy hangs heavy, but also offers hope. In a world of tradition, women are slowly breaking through the barriers. While men dominate at the top, the presence of a female field manager shows that change is possible. Thanks to microcredit and local initiatives, women are taking their own destiny into their own hands. At the same time, the ambition of the younger generation is growing. They want to break away from the physical work of their parents and are increasingly seeking their future outside the plantations. Girls dream of a better life in the city or even abroad and strive for a career as a policewoman or teacher, leading to a shortage of labor and loss of the romantic and touristic image of the tea fields.
Photographer Marco Rutten was given a unique look behind the scenes at the tea plantations of Bogawantalawa in the Golden Valley.
A photo series that invites us to look beyond our cup and become aware of the stories and lives behind this daily product. Because change starts with awareness – and a cup of tea tastes better with understanding.