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A group of six young people will be spending two weeks serving the  villagers of Rathmale, in the Gramaniladhari province, deep in the heart of Sri Lanka.

Travis shares why he is part of the team...

"I feel as if I may have lost my way over the years and my giving spirit has fallen and I see this as a great way to reignite that yearning fire of charity within me." 

The young people want to use their transferable qualities to improve the independence and resilience of local people within the community of Rathmale. The people of Rathmale face the following challenges:

• 265 households with just over a thousand people living there.
• Learning and speaking English is seen as ‘the way out’ for villagers.
• 22% of households have no running water or flushing toilet.
• Women (who do not feature in the economic data) earn equivalent £20 per month for selling their baskets weaved from palm leaves. This includes a twice weekly 20km trek for palm leaves.

The young people (aged 16 – 25) Lanka will be working alongside Give a Fig Volunteering and will spend time:

• teaching English to the young people and adults
• working (alongside local tradesmen) on a range of practical tasks which will improve the quality of life. This will include upgrading the village orphanage and installing flushing toilets. 
• supporting the local women in developing their basket making business.
• educating the Sri Lankans in a range of games and sports

I visited Rathmale in February and was gobsmacked at how our small involvement could make such a massive difference.

This experience will change the lives of the young people going to Sri Lanka, but could transform the lives of the people living in Rathmale. 

You can play a part in achieving this.

Your generous donation can make a life changing difference to the people of Rathmale.

Here are some ideas how your kind donation will be spent. If you want to give a different amount, please do.

£10 will  provide a day of games and sports for 35 children

£20 will provide an afternoon teaching English to 25 children

£50 will provide a day's labour walking 20km to collect palm leaves so the women can generate more income

£100 will provide one bunk bed for two orphans

£250 will provide two communal flushing toilets for 65 people to use

Thank you for donating. It really will make a difference!!!!!

"That’s what was at the heart of it. Here were young people that might be on the margins of things at home. But by the time the Dominican Republic trip was over they had found new skills, self-belief and understanding of how they can and should make a difference." 

Tim Martindale (Director of Overseas Mission with Mission Direct who worked with the KYC young people on a trip to Dominican Republic in 2011)