Givology - give to learn, learn to give

Through the Community English Programme, the students of Tea Leaf Vision are trained to be 'Student-Teachers' and run free basic English classes for children between the ages of 9 and 11. The programme runs once a week for 6 months through strategic partnerships with local government schools. Partnering schools are mainly located in the most remote tea estates where teaching staff have no, or a very low level of English, making lessons accessible and affordable for children where they otherwise would not have been. Interns (Advanced Diploma) are trained to manage the programme in-field.

The programme is assessed through monthly field vists by the Tea Leaf Vision staff team, with the aim of ensuring high quality education is provided to the area's poorest children. This ordinarily necessitates hiring three-wheelers (or tuk-tuks) to make the journey to remote schools. Tea Leaf Trust is looking for support to purchase a three-wheeler (a tuk-tuk). This vehicle will enable the Centre to;
Better monitor the Community English Programme by helping staff members reach the most remote schools.
Save Tea Leaf Vision a total of $100 a month in three-wheeler rental charges (which is $600 per annum)
Respond to medical emergencies in the field if they arise by having a means of transport to the nearest hospital
Get staff safely home when the buses are not running (which is a common occurrence in Sri Lanka)

The Community English Programme was originally introduced in 2010 as a means of increasing the Centre's community outreach. It started with 101 Tea Leaf Vision students offering informal English lessons to 400 children in their communities. However in 2012, partnerships with 20 government schools increased the programmes's outreach to between 1,500 and 2,000 participating children per year whilst also providing more structural support.

Since 2010, this programme has provided free English language education to over 6,000 children living on some of the remotest tea estates surrounding Maskeliya town. Tea Leaf Vision students are responsible for sparking an interest among children in English that otherwise may have been stifled by the national education system. It is important to understand the relevance of the programme for the Tea Leaf Vision students personal development. They often go from having low self-esteem and no social status to becoming role models in their communities with an understanding of their own potential. The programme also develops key skills for the working world including English, teaching, communication and management skills. It also supports young adults to learn about the requirements of representing an organisation and the importance of both professionalism and the concept of service.

The programme is supervised and managed by a Programme Coordinator. She provides training, guidance and support to the Interns. The students are trained to teach basic English by the Tea Leaf Vision staff team. The programme was designed with support from the British Council Sri Lanka.