Newsletter November 2024
Naomi Booth :: Monday 2nd December 2024 :: This Story
Our November 2024 newsletter is ready to download.
Our Newsletter is now out so why not have a look and see what we have been up to in 2024. There are reports from our Founder Dilanee Bunter, on our October visits with Calthorpe Park School and Team 2, our Child Development Programme, Sponsorship Schemes as well as lots of other news.
Here is the newsletter
https://oceanstars.org.uk/files/newsletter-nov-24.pdf
As we enter our 20th year of Operations the support from our donors, sponsors and regular givers is very much valued and appreciated and helps us continue with our work empowering children through education in Sri Lanka. Maybe you would like to become an Ocean Star and set up a regular payment and transform the lives of children in Sri Lanka?
To find out how to donate please visit https://oceanstars.org.uk/get-involved-donate
We are also planning a celebration event on Saturday 22nd March 2025 and details will be available later this week on our website and social media.
Newsletter June 2024
Chris Booth :: Wednesday 10th July 2024 :: This Story
Our June 2024 newsletter is ready to download.
Read about our recent impact, fundraising, Flagship Child Development Programme and reports from some of our trustees.
Newsletter December 2023
Naomi Booth :: Monday 4th December 2023 :: This Story
Read more...
30 volunteers visited Sri Lanka in October 2023 and over 10,000 students and families were impacted by this visit.
5 Samba Bands are operating in Batticaloa Schools thanks to the fundraising of students from Calthorpe Park School, Fleet.
Over 2500 nutritious meals have been provided by our Feeding Programmes to preschool children in remote communities
One of our sponsor children graduated from the University of Jaffna with a Degree in BioScience and another is a successful entrepreneur who has helped over 1000 Sri Lankans improve their digital skills.
Hope House projects continue to provide village women with skills that empower them to set up their own businesses.
OST Trustees met for their annual Strategy Planning Day in September and agreed on the Action Plan for the year ahead.
A residential Teacher Training was held for 70 Ocean Stars teachers in July 2023
Over 1000 preschool students assessed in our Child Development Programme.
Newsletter June 2023
Welcome to our summer newsletter
Naomi Booth :: Tuesday 4th July 2023 :: This Story
Latest News
Three cycles of our flagship Assessment Tool completed in 2022. A total of 2400 assessments were completed.
847 students have enrolled in our 29 preschools for 2023.
OST Trustees are pleased to welcome two new Trustees onto our Trustee Board.
Breakfast programme established in 15 preschools and marked improvements in children's health and weight have been recorded.
Hope House projects continue to provide village women with skills that empower them to set up their own business.
Planning is underway to resume volunteer trips, and Calthorpe Park School have 21 students signed up for October 2023.
Ocean Stars Trust was shortlisted for Charity Governance Award and became Runners-Up the Category Improving Impact in Small Charities.
Newsletter November 2022
On another year of challenges and changes for Ocean Stars Trust
Naomi Booth :: Monday 21st November 2022 :: This Story
This Christmas Ocean Stars appeals for their Feeding Programme to provide a nutritious meal for over 500 preschool children. Details of our
appeal and how you can donate to feed a child for 50p can be found on Page 3. We thank you for your support.
Latest News includes:
- Ocean Stars Lanka wins an award by the Sri Lanka local government for services to the local community.
- 75 teachers attend a residential teacher training in July 2022.
- Trustees met for annual Awayday to discuss our OST Strategy and to review our goals and objectives.
- 5 sponsor children pass A Level exams and go on to University, Nursing and Vocational Training.
- Breakfast programme now in 14 preschools ? marked improvements in children's health and weight have been recorded.
Newsletter June 2022
Our Appeal and updates from Sri Lanka
Naomi Booth :: Tuesday 12th July 2022 :: This Story
As you may be aware Sri Lanka is currently undergoing a very challenging period economically. The country is in debt and has little western currency to pay for imports. This has led to unprecedented fuel, gas, kerosine, food shortages as well as daily power cuts, sometimes up to 13 hours a day. The Sri Lanka Rupee was recently devalued and overnight prices of basic commodities went up exponentially. For the first time in the history of Sri Lanka there is not enough rice to feed the population and people are down to eating one meal a day. Our staff regularly have to queue up to 7 hours to get fuel for their
motorbikes. As there is no cooking gas everyone is now using firewood to cook their meals. As we are inundated with requests for support Ocean Stars are launching our June 2022 appeal.
More information on this and news from the preschools in our newsletter.
Newsletter Christmas 2021
Our December newsletter is out now with a summary of all our news for 2022.
Naomi Booth :: Friday 3rd December 2021 :: This Story
Ocean Stars continues to work during these challenging times, transforming lives and empowering children through education in Sri Lanka - we hope you enjoy reading our update.
As December approaches and we at OST reflect on this past year, I find my thoughts centred, yet again, on the pandemic and its effects on the development of our work. Covid has presented us with many challenges in the past nineteen months. It has been a long haul for us all and especially so for those both near and far living in poor, disadvantaged situations.
As a charity which aims to promote equality of opportunity for all in Sri Lanka, our preschools are central to our work and at the heart of our education programme. As in the UK, they have been shut for long periods this year. Since many of our 26 schools are situated in remote, rural communities, this has been quite a challenge.
With hindsight, it is now evident that it was the provision of Tablets to improve communication with our communities that became the key to finding a way to deliver home schooling. Finance provided by Fonthill Foundation allowed us to purchase a Tablet for each preschool. Their funding also provided training on Tablet usage, so that the teachers could receive details of the themes and learning activities that should be taught to the children. This information was sent out at the beginning of each week and then communicated to parents by the teacher. A 'What's App' group was also set up so that the teachers could share good practice, support each other, and ensure regular communication with our OSL team was maintained.
The weekly contact between teachers and the parents also helped us address another of our main concerns at this time. Due to the effects of the pandemic so many more of our children and their families were now hungry and living with an increased level of poverty. Thanks to improved communication between teachers and the children's families we were able to identify those most in need and provide food parcels to help feed and support them.
Whilst the situation has improved and the preschools have now reopened, Covid continues to impact and affect the rollout of OST's work. We continue to respond as best we can to an ever-changing situation. There is always lots to do. However, we're delighted that thanks to the help and donations received from our supporters, we have been able this year to respond to appeals, bring aid to our communities and provide some schooling for our children.
So, this Christmas we celebrate all that's been achieved in these uncertain times and we thank you for all that YOU
have given to support and enable our work.
Merry Christmas everyone !!!
Maureen Johnston (Chair)
Newsletter July 2020
Banana Tree project, COVID and more...
Naomi Booth :: Thursday 1st July 2021 :: This Story
Our third lockdown Covid-19 newsletter is now available to our supporters and donors. As always a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us in so many ways over the last 18 months. Our work in Sri Lanka is very much ongoing and thanks to your generosity we have not had to curtail any of our work empowering children through education in Sri Lanka.
Newsletter December 2020
Supporting Children and their families through 2020
Naomi Booth :: Tuesday 1st December 2020 :: This Story
