Education is crucial for the children in these very poor communities. If these young people are going to have more opportunities than their parents were offered, education is key.

Yet schools serving poor communities are often shockingly under-resourced. Teachers have very few materials beside blackboard and chalk; buildings are in very poor repair; there is no provision for children with special needs.

Asha Trust supports the Sri Punyakami School, where many of the children from Athidiya attend. We have provided access to drinking water, refurbished the terrible toilets and provided computers and computer training for staff. Teachers told us that children come to school hungry, and sometimes faint during lessons and Asha now provides a daily Breakfast Club for the entire primary phase. We also provide a “shoe fund”, because pupils often miss school because they have no shoes. We support an attendance reward scheme, which has encouraged improved attendance, which in turn is contributing to raising standards.

The Trust also funds a special needs class for pupils who struggle in mainstream classes. Several pupils have made significant progress as a result of the individual attention in this class, and have been able to return to mainstream classes.

Eston Park School in Middlesborough took a group of 22 to volunteer at this school through TukTuk and as a result are raising money to provide the school a science lab. Columbia Primary School in Tower Hamlets is setting up a school link.

The Trust funds a breakfast club for 150 pupils at another poorly resourced school – this one is in Koralawella along the coast. At this school we also provide the 50 neediest pupils lunch. This school serves a community where many families were affected by the tsunami. Many children live in poor quality housing on the beach. A group of 24 tsunami families still live on the school grounds, sharing basic facilities like toilets. Asha is raising the funds to provide these families with their own facilities.