Kevin Norris, Sri Lanka, life on a tea plantation. (PEOPLE 2026)

While mothers are picking leaves in the fields and fathers work in the processing plants, the matriarchs of the village care for their children, providing meals, observing play and ensuring an education. A scenario that is becoming more prevalent across the globe as financial pressures come to bear on families.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.