I fell in love with Sri Lanka and its people in summer of 2014 when I made my first visit with my daughter and come home with the goal to find an organization in Sri Lanka where my love for the country and my non-profit experience could come together with good purpose. It was by good fortune that I found Tea Leaf Vision. I made my first visit to the school in January 2016, returned in February 2017 and I am back at the school now (March 2018). I am consistently in awe of the work of the school and I am proud to be the school's Volunteer Coordinator.

When I arrived at the school this year I was impressed to see that enrolment numbers are up. We are reaching more and more young adults from the tea estates.

Many of these students travel several hours each day to come to school and the same again to get home. I was humbled just yesterday when helping one of the managers at the school with a report - some of our students are living on just 20 cents per day (think about that for a minute - I did!). And yet their families make the sacrifice of sending their young adult to the school for a year, with the promise of a better future, rather than have them take a job on the tea estates and contribute to the family income.

The students (and the amazing teachers) greet each day with a smile and a zest for learning that I have not seen anywhere else.

This year I was struck by the increase in numbers but also something else - not every student has an appropriate place to sit and work. Given the effort and sacrifice they make I think we should provide them with a decent place to sit and study.

Space is tight so we try and buy chairs that combine both a seat and a place to write. These chairs are Rs 7,000 each (£32, Canadian $58). We need 44 more chairs. My goal is to be able to order these chairs in time for delivery for the start of term two (May 7).

Please help me provide these enthusiastic and hard working students with an appropriate place to sit and work. For each donation of £32 we can buy another student a chair.

The charity is a UK based charity hence the amount donated is in UK Pounds but do not be discouraged donations can be made from world over!

Thank you for your support, every cent of your donations will go towards chairs.

UPDATE: Please see the photo below for a selection of the 50 plus chairs purchased and delivered to the school