Feeding Minds, Easing Access
Growing up on the tea estates in Sri Lanka is challenging. Young people from the tea estates lack opportunities, particularly around education and employment. Private tea companies take advantage of an intrinsic lack of education to cultivate a dependent workforce. This has resulted in complex multi-layered social problems including high rates of alcoholism and domestic violence. With a lack of both formal and informal support systems for youth, the incidence of deliberate self-harm and suicide is high.
At Tea Leaf Vision we provide a year of English that is essential in Sri Lanka for a professional job. We also provide business education, IT and emotional health classes. Most students will tell you at the start of the year they come to learn English, at the end of the year they speak good English but will also say that it was the emotional health classes that have really made a difference in their lives.
Studying at Tea Leaf Vision for all our students is free however being at school is still a challenge as during that time they could have been working and helping to support their families in an area where many are living on very little. Families support them in coming to Tea Leaf Vision with the promise of a better future but many of the students come with stories of hardships and difficulties that are heart wrenching to hear.
I worked a lot this year with the students in the Internship program. This programme further enhances students English skills with a second year of study but now the focus is on training them to become future teachers both within Tea Leaf Vision schools or elsewhere Sri Lanka. Others go on to other professional careers.
This internship program has good success but poses a significant challenge for families. These families have already sacrificed a year of income for their young people to study at the school. Another year of study means continued expenses (bus fare, food, clothing) and no income.
A common greeting at the school is "Did you eat?" and many do not.... its not uncommon for the students to come to school hungry. As one of the students said to me "there are many people here who struggle to find one meal a day".
I want to support these young students so that they do not need to study on an empty stomach, we cannot feed their minds when they are hungry. Also many travel a distance to school each day and the bus fare is a significant burden to families. Can you help me do this?
I want to ensure that each student in the internship program has a lunch each day they are at school and their bus fare to and from school is paid.
Lets be sure that "Did you eat?" is answerd with a resounding YES, and these amazing young people can focus on their studies.
Please help with whatever you can you manage, even a few $$'s helps.
Thank you
This picture is most of this years amazing and inspiring students of the Tea Leaf Vision Teacher Training Internship program
93%
Carol Workun donado £1.323
Actividad reciente
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Suzanne MacPhee donado £60
Carol Workun: Sue, thank you so much for this - very much appreciated and will certainly go to good use.
Aileen Larkin donado £30
Carol, you are really making a difference - it is inspiring!
Carol Workun: Aileen, thank you so much!
Brad and Pam Forsyth donado £30
Carol Workun: Thank you Brad and Pam, much appreciated.
Camelot Golf Club - Mens Night CAD $621 donado £377
Carol Workun: Thank you Camelot - your generosity is very much appreciated.
Usuario anónimo donado £120
Good luck, Carol!
Carol Workun: Thank you Anonymous. I think I can guess who you are ;). Your generosity is much appreciated.
Tim Pare Tea Leaf TrustJust wanted to pop on here and say a huge thank you to you wonderful people for supporting Carol's fundraiser. It is already making a huge difference. Tim and Yas (founders of TLT)Don Stephenson donado £160
Patricia Workun donado £30
Ivona Pástorová donado £60
Thank you for your warm welcome in Sri Lanka! I wish all the students the best of luck, great education and a lot of happiness! Hope to meet again soon :)
Alan Macdonald donado £120
Keep up the good work, Carol
Carol Workun: Thank you very much Alan!
Marian McGrath donado £30
Carol Workun: Thank you Marian
Theresa Wallace donado £20
Great work, Carol!
Carol Workun: Thank you very much Theresa
Jenny and Frankie donado £50
Carol Workun: Thank you both so much, you are such wonderful supporters of the school
Mel Gilbert donado £30
Carol Workun: Melanie, thank you so much!
Suzanne Gagnon donado £60
Thanks for bringing this project to my attention. One day, I would love to join you in Sri Lanka.
Carol Workun: Suzanne, thank you for your generosity. You would be an asset at the school for sure!
Caroline Brabyn donado £30
Carol Workun: Thank you Caroline, much appreciated
Lisa McCormick donado £60
Always happy to support a worthy cause and help the people Of Sri Lanka!
Carol Workun: Lisa, thank you for your ongoing support - much appreciated
Margaret Moriarty donado £30
I am donating in memory of a friend who died last September. He set up counselling services in Sri Lanka.
Carol Workun: Margaret, thank you. And counseling services are so important!
Peder Jakobsen donado £60
Hi Carol, your desire to help those in need is inspiring.
Carol Workun: Thank you so much!
Sonja Draayer donado £30
We know the work and the achievement and are pleased to be asked for support
Carol Workun: Thank you Ken and Sonja for your support, much appreciated.
Carol Workun
We have passed the half wy mark - thank you! Once we pass £1000 we will have enough to ensure food and bus fare for all students for the first two terms.
£500 more will ensure the whole year :)Nancy MacDonald donado £30
Super work, Carol.
Carol Workun: Thank you so much Nancy
Denise Workun donado £120
Carol Workun: Thank you very much Denise!
Camrose Burdon donado £100
Carol Workun: Thank you Camrose, much appreciated.