In some communities in Sri Lanka, things are tough. Housing is very poor, work is scarce and daily life is a struggle. 

For many families, just providing the basics like food, medicines and clothing is difficult. Yet in many of these challenging places, there are extraordinary community workers, inspirational people who spend day after day talking to mothers about their children, elders about their health difficulties, helping them to work out the solutions to the troubles they face.

With very few resources, they set up small projects like nurseries to enable mothers to work, after school clubs to help children with homework, youth activities for the teenagers. 

Asha Trust supports these workers

In these challenging places, rates of disability among children are often high.

Elders are sometimes isolated because their children leave the area in search of work and a better life. Drugs and alcohol can be a problem, and many families have a father in prison.

Our community workers seek out these most marginalised and vulnerable groups, offering support and activities to help them increase their own capacity to meet these challenges and to develop their own solutions.