By Joel Stanier | General Manager
Dear Friends and Supporters,
One of the most powerful and joyful moments in our recent work came during a vibrant celebration in Pinkanda, where 1,100 smiling children received school book packs, beautifully organised by our Country Director, Mr Percy. The event marked not only 20 years of TFT’s service but also the distribution of over 40,000 book packs to children across rural Sri Lanka.
This colourful ceremony wasn’t just about books. It was a celebration of hope, dignity, and opportunity, reminding us all of how access to education can transform lives, and how together, we’re helping to prevent child abandonment by breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
Books, Not Orphanages: A Better Start for Every Child
To give context, many of the families we support live in mud houses without electricity, sanitation, or clean water. For them, the gift of school books represents more than academic progress—it is a lifeline. As one grandmother shared, “Education is the only thing that will change our grandchildren’s future.” These moments remind us why our work matters.
Children and their carers showed their heartfelt gratitude in deeply moving ways, kneeling as is customary in their Buddhist culture. While always humbling, this is a poignant reminder that basic rights like education should never be a privilege. We long for a day when no child must kneel in gratitude just to have the right to learn.
Many of the children we’ve supported have now completed their education, including Piyumi, the first child we ever reunited with her family. Once a quiet and traumatised girl, she is now a confident young woman helping others, proudly standing on stage this year to distribute book packs. Her transformation speaks to what can happen when love, education, and opportunity unite.
Reaching Families Before It’s Too Late
Our work extends far beyond the classroom. We’re often the bridge that prevents families from being separated. At the Pinkanda event, Southern Province Commissioner Rasika Dissanayake reminded us all of the urgent need to support families before desperation leads them to place their children in institutions.
Stories like Gamage’s, a mother who, just a few years ago, lived in a broken shed and was on the verge of handing over her children to an orphanage. Instead, with TFT’s support, she now lives in a safe, brick home with her children still by her side—proof that with the right help, families can stay together.
The Big Give: Feed ALL Grades: Combat Hunger & Enable Education
Thanks to donors' generosity through the Big Give campaign, we raised £15,268.68 to continue our school meals programme. This programme now provides nutritious daily meals to 238 children, aged 5–18, in two poor rural schools in Sri Lanka.
While children in Grades 1–5 receive government-provided meals, those in Grades 6–11 have often been left hungry, watching their younger peers eat. In the wake of Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic crisis, food insecurity has worsened. Families struggle to feed themselves. Children skip meals, faint from hunger, and drop out of school, leaving them vulnerable to institutionalisation, malnutrition, and long-term poverty.
Our project addresses this head-on by offering:
Daily, nutritious meals for every student, regardless of age
Nutrition education and gardening training for students, staff, and parents
School-based agriculture projects to improve sustainability
Sport and recreation, promoting mental and physical health
We’re already seeing early results—better school attendance, increased energy and concentration, and improved emotional wellbeing. Most importantly, we reduce the risk of child abandonment, one meal at a time.
A Future of Opportunity, Not Institutions
Education is not just a tool—it is protection, empowerment, and the key to ending child abandonment. Families often place children in orphanages, believing it’s the only way to feed or educate them. But with your help, we are proving there is a better way.
We’re deeply grateful for your continued support. Whether you help us provide books, build homes, or serve meals, you are helping to give children the foundation they need to stay with their families, grow up healthy, and thrive with dignity.
Thank you for standing with us, and with them.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Joel
On behalf of the TFT Team
By Joel Stanier | General Manager
By Joel Stanier | General Manager
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