Hi...My name is Ruth. I am doing this to raise funds for schools in Kandy, Sri Lanka; some of you are aware that I volunteer, teaching English each year, in Sri Lanka where there is much poverty. The children are simply beautiful...with the greatest desire to learn that I have ever witnessed in my 25+ years of teaching. Learning English, for them, is about survival. Education is precious.

Following Typhoon, Ditwah on the evening of November 29th, many, many, many people were impacted whilst they slept. Young children and their families perished as they were taken by surprise, in the night-time. The consequence of the storm has split families apart with the death of so many, in this town. The mud slides and storms tore through their homes and their lives. The media failed to report on the true extent of this. Children have been left without homes, but also basic necessities like clothes and shoes. Their schools are without books and stationary and any such learning materials.

I have booked flights for February half -term to go and teach. I would like to raise as much money as possible to buy as many teaching essentials as possible and to give to charities for clothes and shoes for the children and orphans. I am asking for funds because there is only so much that I can take in a single suitcase, or that I could possibly afford to help with by myself.

I am not very well-known to social media, and so my target is rather ambitious- though I'd dream of raising above this. Some of these children have been left without parents. I present first hand information to you all, as I have many, beautiful, close friends in Sri Lanka. Please help with as little or as much as you can. I will be very happy to show evidence of what any funds that I receive, does for this community.