Gill Dickinson, of the Epiphany Trust, Lowton, has for the past four years been working on projects that support the people of Sri Lanka.

This was her first visit to the country to see how the projects are being carried out.

She said: “It was my first visit out there and it was nice to see how everything is being done.

“We get on with organising the projects here in the office. but it was good to finally have some first-hand experience of going out there.”

Boxing Day was the fifth anniversary of when the South West coast of Sri Lanka was ripped apart by the disaster which caused major devastation and thousands of deaths.

The Epiphany Trust’s projects focus on giving children a chance in life and encouraging families to get back into work.

A project based in Galle has helped over 800 families who lost everything in the tsunami.

Micro-credit grants were given by the trust to families and they used them to set up their own business.

Gill said: “Part of the money was a loan and part of it was a donation.
“The money which was given to the family was used to set up a business in sewing, bicycle repairs or making table cloths.
“These people don’t want just a hand out, they want support.”

Another project Gill visited was the Kandy Street Community project.
This has been going for three years and aims to get children off the street.

Gill said: “This is a centre for pre-school and school children.
“We have volunteers who work with the staff at the centre, teaching them how to care for the children.”

Two other projects the trust run are the Little Lambs and a school for disadvantaged children.

Little Lambs, in Nureya Eliya, provides childcare when parents go to work in the tea plantations.

Gill said: “Their mums go out to work at 7.30am and don’t come back until after 6pm, and they have no childcare whatsoever.”

The school which is based in Wellimada and is for disadvantaged children was set up before the tsunami hit. It focuses on giving children a normal education.

Gill said: “There are many disadvantaged children and there is even a deaf and mute child.
“Education is free in Sri Lanka, but they still need to buy uniforms and books. We help them out with that.”

Talking about the visit, Gill said: “I personally found it a fascinating experience.
“I have never seen the sort of poverty that is in Sri Lanka.

“It’s a very humbling experience and it’s very moving when you see lots of people living in one room.”

The charity is appealing for volunteers to help with the current projects in Sri Lanka.

Gill said: “We need more people who can go out there and teach people new skills.

“If these kids are to get off the streets, they need to have some skills to get a job, then they have got a chance of a better future.

“We need people who have IT skills, teachers, people who can run a business, builders, joiners, electricians and plumbers.

“All the sort of skills an trades that we take for granted in our everyday life, Sri Lanka needs.”
To find out more about the Trust, call 01925 220999.