he photography of Alissa Sears, an Eleanor Roosevelt College senior, is simultaneously inspiring and shocking. Throughout her month-long stay in Sri Lanka she captured the struggles of a people embroiled in civil war. Sears volunteered with a group called the Tamil Youths for Human Rights, which offers a visitors’ program for dedicated people interested in helping the people of Sri Lanka better their living conditions. This self-motivated activism resulted in a unique service experience. The images Sears recorded, accompanied by excerpts from her journal and quotes from the children she worked with, are currently on display in the Cross-Cultural Center gallery.
Sears was searching for a social service project that would go beyond the traditional volunteer work offered in San Diego. After speaking with a Sri Lankan friend, she was moved by the tumultuous history of the region and the urgent need for aid there.
Sri Lanka is an island nation off the coast of India on the Indian Ocean. The country, which is only slightly larger than West Virginia, has been occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch and British and only became independent in 1948. Since the 1980s, however, Sri Lanka has been caught in a violent civil war resulting from an ethnic conflict between the Tamil and Sinhalese peoples. Sears’ interest, however, was sparked by the dire condition of the Sri Lankan children and the opportunity for Sri Lankans to create a lasting peace for themselves with a little help.
Before leaving for Sri Lanka, Sears had to raise funds and organize efforts to help the communities she would soon visit. Through fundraising among friends, neighbors, businesses, a benefit concert and a book drive, Sears was able to gather the money for her trip and supplies for the schools and orphanages she visited.
“No one really believed me,” Sears said. “But I started writing all these letters and talking to my family and did a book drive. People’s reactions were really amazing. They had so much to give and really wanted to help. I think they just didn’t know how before.”
This was only the second time that the TYHR had ever offered this program, so there was not much pre-trip organization. She was not even sure where exactly she was going or with whom she was going until she got to Sri Lanka. But in June, she boarded the plane for the month-long adventure. She went with only two other Americans, and throughout her trip met only five other non-Sri Lankans.
“I had no idea who I was going with or what was going to happen,” Sears said. “All I really knew was that these kids were in a really horrible situation.”
Sears visited Jaffna in the north and worked with teachers to teach English to local adults and children, traveled to Batticaloa and all over northeastern Sri Lanka, to the national Department of Education, universities, orphanages, schools and refugee camps. While exploring the region and seeing firsthand the struggles of the Sri Lankan people, she became amazed by their ability to fight on and continue to work through violence and horror beyond what most people in the United States can imagine.
“These teachers and children are absolutely amazing and more inspiring than anyone I’ve yet to experience. Each has their own story, each their own tragedy,” Sears said. “Through the travesty of war, most have lost everything they have, and still want only to give us the best they know, even if it means not having it for themselves.”
She experienced many humbling moments. During her stay, Sears was asked by a young boy, “How many land mines do you have where you live?” There were often signs along roads warning of land mines or pieces of shrapnel in the playground of the school where she worked.
“It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced,” Sears said. “Those stories make it more beautiful, because that’s what gives these kids this depth. You understand where they’re coming from. We took them on this bus ride — kids who have never left their village — and they were so excited.”
Sears was moved by the children she worked with because of their appreciation for the efforts being made to help them.
“They are so happy and so thankful for everything,” Sears said. “They sit there, and they ask you how you are and they mean it. There’s no pretense, there’s no having to get to know you. The opportunity to share in their lives is something that I will remember for the rest of my life. The things that they say are the most touching things you’ve ever heard.”
According to Sears, life was really put in perspective. She realized how much she had, how lucky she was and that there are people all over the word she can help.
“The most important thing I learned was how easy it is to help people,” she said. “Not just minutely, but to change their lives. It’s important to be willing to help other people, it may not be the biggest thing for you, but it might be a big deal to someone else.”
Sears is still on a mission to change lives and is currently working to secure funding for school and medical supplies for Sri Lankan communities.
“Having this support at this point can change their lives, it can create peace,” she said. “That’s why I want to share this with people. I just want people to realize they can make a difference and feel that they matter.”
