Circumstances in Sri Lanka can pose dangers for women. For example, the culture is especially hard on women who have lost their husbands. When a woman’s husband dies, it is considered to be a result of her Karma, and the community regards her as bad luck. She is immediately shunned from social gatherings: a bride will not even look at a widow for fear of harming her impending wedding. Having lost the protection of her husband and the support of her community, she becomes a target for exploitation by men. Many are pulled, for lack of any other option, into the darkness of prostitution. Other women may become at risk due to abandonment of a husband or poverty. Resplendent Hope wants to restore the self worth and dignity of these women.
