Tea Leaf Trust will train 155 amazing, hardworking students to teach critical English lessons to 2,325 children a year. These lovely children are from the remote Sri Lankan tea estates and unable to access or afford classes. English offers them the chance escape a future of near slavery. The students will develop key professional skills that are crucial to their futures. The project also empowers them to become leaders of change in communities facing abject poverty and complex social issues.
150 years ago, Indian Tamils were forced to pick tea in the Sri Lankan hill country by the British. They remain discriminated against by corporations and government. To ensure an uneducated workforce, tea plantation schools are sent unqualified teachers - particularly in the key subject of English. Only two of the 25 government English teachers we work with actually speak the language. English is the key to opportunity in Sri Lanka, those without are destined for a life of abject poverty.
By educating 155 students this 'training of the trainer' programme enables us to scale-up our impact to thousands of children year after year. By providing our students with the tools and skills to teach Basic English, plan lessons and manage behaviour, we are creating a sustainable solution. Instead of travelling hours for unaffordable private classes, the poorest families can now access English within their communities. Our graduates become lifelong learners and teachers.
The project trains 155 young people each year giving them crucial skills, so previously lacking in their communities. The students will become empowered leaders of change. With most families living off less than $1 a day, students can provide additional income while also becoming empowered leaders. 2,325 children at 25+ government schools will gain access to free English every year. This increases their chances of achieving the grades they need to escape the exploitation of tea estates.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
