Before I left for Sri Lanka, I'd arranged to do some volunteer work for Ocean Stars Trust (OST).
OceanStars :: Friday 30th September 2016 :: Latest Blog Posts
OST are a children's charity, founded in 2005 to support underprivileged children, families and communities in Sri Lanka following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.
I left Trinco and arrived in Batticaloa (Batti; where OST are based) following a rare comfortable bus journey. Diana and Kiru welcomed me with beaming smiles before taking me to my guesthouse, which was nestled among the windy, dusty backroads of Kallady. We talked through the plan for the next four days. I was to visit three 'projects' (a secondary school and two preschools) where I'd assist in lessons.
Read my full report at: https://mileswithmorgan.wordpress.com/2016/09/29/volunteering-in-batticaloa-part-one/
My first two days with OST were eye opening, sad, fun, interesting and intriguing. To have 10 year olds speak so frankly about their home hardships was initially hard to take. However, seeing their pearly whites shine as I we played games and I told them about home reminded me the kids were in good hands at school. It was a chance for the children to learn, have fun, be kids. Amazingly, many of the children's parents still need convincing that school is worthwhile. As well as the standard curriculum, in which the children are taught nine subjects, I'm convinced a tie with a foreign school – thanks to OST – can only help in educating the parents, for their children benefit from visits from people like myself.