Yasmin Rajapakse
Vellaimanal Project Manager
"Working with the Ocean Stars Trust has been an unbelievable and amazing experience for me. Every meeting with the teams has left me with wonderful and extra ordinary memories. After serendipitously meeting Dilanee in 2005, personal connections from the past slowly came to light and this has made the whole journey even more powerful. We started off with sponsoring 25 children from the village of Vellaimanal that lost everything after the Tsunami. We now sponsor 80 children as well as helping the community. OST always listens to the needs of the local people and helps where help is needed. The regular visits of UK team members is so valuable to the people. This personal touch does not exist with other NGOs. Even when the country was in Civil War OST never turned away. You took risks and reached out to our people and for that I am very grateful. The team members integrate with the families and life-long relationships are established. There are always tears when it is time to say goodbye. These relationships are priceless. The children we started working with in 2005 aged 3 are now 13. Their lives are embedded in the love and care of Ocean Stars. As Vellaimanal is situated near Trincomalee, which is a strategic naval base in Sri Lanka, security in the surrounding area has always been high. This has meant that local fishermen could not go out to sea and earn an income from fishing. So for several families the only income they have had is the sponsor money that Ocean Stars sponsors send them every month. I would like to thank you all for the amazing help and support you are giving to our people".
Mr Janabdeen
Ocean Stars Field Worker in Vellaimanal
Ocean Stars has been like a God to the people of my Village. After the Tsunami we were devastated. You set up sponsorship schemes and brought happiness to several families in our village. You come and visit us twice a year and always help us with our ongoing needs. My family and I love welcoming Ocean Stars volunteers to our village. Thank you Ocean Stars.
Mr Janabdeen with his wife Ayesha, Daveed, Jasmin and Naveed
Lunch with Janabdeen's family is alwyas a feast to look forward to for all ocean stars teams and visitors.