On 3 July 2016, 31 boys and 10 staff from Tonbridge School are travelling to Sri Lanka to support the amazing and life-changing work of Child Action Lanka (CAL).  This is the third year running that we have taken a large trip to work with CAL, and the boys will be based across Sri Lanka in the CAL Centres in Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Batticaloa and Kilinochi.  Working alongside CAL staff and local schools, the boys will teach English, coach touch rugby and work on some manual building projects, and this year will also have groups focusing on art and drama.

All the costs are being met by the team but throughout the summer term the school will be undertaking a number of fundraising events to support the work of CAL.  This year we hope to be able to raise sufficient funds to equip a classroom within the new centre in Kandy, as well as contributing to operational costs in all the CAL centres.

Child Action Lanka http://childactionlanka.org/ works to assist and transform the lives of disadvantaged children in Sri Lanka.  Many of the children live and work on the street as beggars; as such they are often socially excluded and deprived of opportunities and respect.  Hunger, neglect, exploitation and abuse are just a few of the many challenges faced by these children every day.  CAL defies the common local belief that "street children are born bad".  CAL's purpose is to enable disadvantaged children to realise the possibilities for themselves and change their own lives for the better.

CAL provides direct assistance to around 1,150 children in five different locations around the island.  Please join us in the work to see the next generation off streets, to help children reach their full potential and to break the cycle of poverty.