Educational Scholarships

The village of Komari on the East Coast of Sri Lanka currently has only one makeshift school (the original was washed away by the tsunami) which provides education up to the equivalent of GCSE level. Those students capable of attaining the equivalent of 'A' levels or above are required to travel to neighbouring towns for their education. Although there are no fees for the provision of education in Sri Lanka, the costs of books and travel prevent these students from pursuing further education. The Trustees of HELP are convinced that educating the children of the region is key to breaking the cycle of poverty and hardship that most of their families have endured. Working closely in conjunction with CFDR, a small US NGO based in Komari, we have identified 47 children within the village who have the capability, but not the financial capacity, to undertake further study.

HELP has therefore agreed to provide full educational scholarships to these children. The scheme will be monitored by CFDR (at no cost). Monthly/termly reports on each of the students will be received and our continued support for each student will be dependent upon their regular attendance and success in examinations. The annual cost per student is approx £180 (SLR 20,000).