Dr. Chandini Perera — Colombo, Sri Lanka

Phil Borges — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:46 +0000

In 2004, I began documenting the work of organizations whose focus is the empowerment of women and girls. After visiting dozens of projects and meeting hundreds of participants and staff around the world, I have also come to believe that the most efficient way to alleviate poverty and reduce population pressures in the developing world is to empower women and girls through education, economic opportunity and open discussions about rights.

Here are a few of the extraordinary women I have had the honor to meet. Women who have broken through a cycle of repression or cultural tradition that limited their well-being and that of their communities— women heroes, remote and mostly unknown, on the leading edge of a global movement toward social and economic justice for women and girls.

Dr. Chandini Perera
Plastic Surgeon

I met Chandini in Sri Lanka while doing a film for the nonprofit organization Interplast. Interplast provides support for the victims of severe burns around the world. Chandini created almost from scratch one the most successful burn centers in Sri Lanka.

When Chandini first started working with burns at the main hospital in Sri Lanka’s capital, she was surprised to find that the majority of her severe burn patients were women. They claimed the burns were accidental. However, as she began to treat these women she could not help but notice that the burns followed a specific pattern. The burns were typically on the front of the upper body, arms, neck and face. As she slowly gained the confidence of these women they confided to her that they had set fire to themselves. Realizing that these women needed more than just the physical treatment for their burns, she formed a team that included a psychologist, a rehabilitation specialist, and several nurse practitioners.

Chandini told me that 70% of her severe burn patients are the result of self immolation. I didn’t understand it. Why would someone set themselves on fire? It had to be the most painful way to die.

Self Immolation Patient

As I documented Chandini’s work and met some of these women I began to realize that this terrible problem had its roots in women’s social and economic injustices. Self immolation not only happens frequently in Sri Lanka and India but is prevalent in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Kumari, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Here is a multimedia piece about Chandini titled “Postcards from Heaven”. She is currently working tirelessly to raise awareness and end domestic violence in Sri Lanka.

Phil Borges » Self Immolation

Dr. Chandini Perera — Colombo, Sri Lanka