As a Star Action supporter you are welcome to join us in Sri Lanka to see for yourself the extraordinary difference that simple, practical help can make to the lives of those we support.
Here two patrons record their experiences of seeing their good will in ‘Star’ action!
BACK TO SRI LANKA WITH STAR ACTION
By Robert Boylan
Upon arriving at Bandanaraike Airport, Colombo from Mediterranean, Europe, I quickly realised I was not dressed appropriately for the somewhat humid climate. I was greeted by Stuart, the Finance man for Star Action. It felt good to be back in SL (this being my 4th visit – my third with SA) and I quickly re-adjusted to the chaos that fills the arrivals area.
Once we hit the road the unique Sri Lankan driving style kicks in. With a coded series of honks on the horn cars overtake lorries and tuk-tuks and there is utter respect and understanding for all road users. I have never seen an accident on any of my visits. With Buddha statues/ shrines, Hindu and Tamil temples, Churches and mosques everywhere there is certainly a feeling of being ‘’looked after’’ during the drive from a to b. Even when you are in the ‘’wrong’’ lane facing a large lorry you just know you are going to be safe as a driver allows you to pull in (something of a rarity in the UK!).
This trip had extra-special significance for, as well as travelling around with Jenny, Stuart and Liz – we were going to be celebrating a year of ‘’significant’’ birthdays. Stuart’s 70th during our stay and a week later my 50th as well as Jogy (Shan’s Dad) passing the 70 mark earlier in the year and Liz (another SA donor) who reaches 70 later this year.
I arrived at Golden Sunset (in Negombo, West of the island) to be greeted by Liz, Shan (who manages the business there and is SA chauffeur and Sinhalese translator) and Jenny.
After some breakfast we chatted about the upcoming visit to some of the projects that SA sponsors. Later that day we all visited the Little Temple to meditate and then view one of the many glorious sunsets that blessed our trip.
When we set out to visit the projects in the tsunami-hit eastern part of the Island it was evident that the roads had been improved since my last visit about 2 ½ years ago.
We met with Lal who I first met on my last visit. He proudly showed me his chicks and his papaya, aubergine and chilli crops the planting of which had been made possible with SA donations . Lal is a very determined and motivated contact and as a village leader he aims to empower those in his community so that they can become business-people and generate a decent income for themselves to live on. He is also adamant that children in his village are educated to become a stronger generation than his own. Having survived the tsunami and also saved many lives by encouraging people to ‘’run for it’’ he appreciates greatly the opportunity that Star Action has given him and his community. A new lease of life…
We visited a Hindu primary school where we were greeted by children who presented us with garlands. I was humbled and a little embarrassed to be greeted in a way fit for official dignitaries. A donation from SA supporters allowed the electricity to be connected from the outside boundary so that they could have light to read by and use their computer. The headmaster was very appreciative and we were touched by the applause from the young pupils.
We then went to a long open building in Mankerny where the two teachers, Kowsika and Sneeha, educate 55 young pupils. There we were presented with more garlands. SA donors contribute towards their salary and another SA supporter paid for them to have a bike each so that they could travel easily.
We visited a very poor fishing village, located in the West of the island, where SA supporters have paid for private toilets to be built for a number of the homes. This simple act gives families better health and dignity. Previously people were using the beach.
Our next stop was to a lady called Pawalam whose only words in English are ‘’Good Morning.’’ She repeats this over and over. In an effort to say ‘’thank you’’ we got ‘’Good morning.’’ When we were leaving we were bid farewell with enthusiastic handshakes and ‘’Good morning, good morning, good morning.’’ It brought a smile to our faces. A generous SA donor paid to have a small two-room house built for this lady as her original home was washed away in the tsunami. Her husband also died in the catastrophe. Another donor bought her a table, chairs and some mats so that she and her children could sleep comfortably.
Another lady, Sudharsini, told us that she had been selling all the clothes that she had made using a sewing machine that had been donated by SA.
Stuart provided a woman called Selvarani with a water pum. The Pump is to supply her vegetable farm away from the well and to grow the food for her 6 dependents. Additionally, Samanthi, a new Mother, and her 6 day-old baby had to use a neighbour’s lavatory and didn’t even have a water supply of her own. SA is rectifying that immediately.
The most unusual request of the visit was from a woman, called Santini, whose husband had ‘’gone walkabouts’’ leaving her to rear their two young children and she wondered if SA could buy her a….cow! She would then breed calves and they in turn would go into the community. She also said she could sell the milk to the dairy to feed herself and her two children. She was very articulate as we sat and listened (via Lal who translated from her Tamil into Sinhalese and then Shan translating into English!) to her explaining the process of how to go about this business starting with artificial insemination!
So, as you can see the visits are productive and change lives. All the money donated goes directly to those who are in great need. Potential recipients are always considered. Sometimes there is an urgency about the request and Stuart and Jenny make on-the-spot decisions about what to give there and then so that projects can swing into action immediately.
As supporters of SA we pay for our flights, our accommodation, meals and car hire/petrol from our own pockets so that money donated is not wasted on administration. There is a lot to be said for supporting a small charity. There is complete transparency that you don’t always get with larger charities.
So, to close I would like to say if you are already donating to a charity that gives overseas aid and support, when you come to renew your donation please consider switching to SA. You can donate to a general fund where your money will be used for projects in Sri Lanka, India and Africa. Or you can ask for a list of specific projects and request that your donation be spent on one that you resonate with.
And, if you haven’t started charitable giving, even a small donation to SA which you won’t notice every month will have a dramatic positive impact on the lives of others.
PS. The birthday party was fun and the food delicious…
_________________________________________________________________________________________
A HAPPY RETURN TO THE SUN
By Liz Vicary
In Star Action country once again—it was a privilege to be able to accompany Jenny and Stuart on visits to projects and to meet once again the wonderfully resilient and enterprising people that Star Action supports.
What fun to go to the bicycle shop in Valechennai and buy bikes for the two lovely young teachers, Sneeha and Kowsika, and to see their happy faces; to see basic furniture loaded into a tuk-tuk for Pawalam; and to visit my toilet family. However, it is always a little saddening to listen to the various ‘wish lists’ of so many poor people, always asking for things we take for granted, and wishing for a magic wand. But a little goes a long way in Sri Lanka and the recipients of our gifts are so smilingly grateful.
My visit was enhanced by the wonderful comfort and hospitality received at the ‘Golden Sunset’ Guest House, run with kindness and efficiency by Shan and his family. Nothing was too much trouble and the food produced by chef Noel was endlessly delicious. I recommend it most warmly.
Two boys in need in India
- At October 25, 2024
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Sasees writes:
I just want to share important information from our school head teacher. She was asking for 2 gypsy students help. The family are like nomads wandering from place to place for work to earn money for their living. They are very poor people below the poverty line. They go for street dance from place to place. So these 2 boys are roaming around with no proper response.So the head teacher was asking for help to take care of these 2 kids. We need you to extend your generous help to take care of these 2 kids. We need your kind support for them.
A loving tribute
- At May 05, 2023
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Dear friends,
It is with great sadness that we write of the death of our wonderful Stuart. His passing will leave such a huge hole in so many lives – he spent his life dedicated to helping those less fortunate than himself, working tirelessly until his final days on projects which have transformed lives in Ghana, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal and beyond.
There is so much about his life and work to be warmly remembered that we will write at greater length in the near future. For now, if you are able to and would like to mark Stuart’s passing, please consider contributing to the Memorial Fund that our Trustee, Michael, has set up to help continue his extraordinary work.
With love from all at Star Action
Sri Lanka: Clothes for the destitute elderly
- At April 16, 2023
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Our work continues in Sri Lanka, where the economic situation is not good. This lady received a parcel of new clothes.
Shonali and her partner show us their lovely new baby
- At April 16, 2023
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Shonali, daughter of Richard and Sasees, and her husband were recently delighted to introduce their new son to the Bright Life family. Congratulations from all of us!
Keshav’s work for Star Action in Nepal
- At February 21, 2022
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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We, here in Nepal, celebrated Christmas in a very meaningful way: by helping the less fortunate with our 2021 Christmas gifts you so generously arranged. We chose an assisted living facility in the district of Lalitpur in the Kathmandu Valley which needed our help the most.
Helping elderly women abandoned by their families has always been our priority because such women need the most help in Nepal. All women living here are illiterate and most of them are widows. We were told that one of the ladies (in the close-up photo above) at the facility was 107 years old who was rescued from the streets of Kathmandu. In our interaction, they shared their stories with us some of which were very heart-wrenching. However, our Christmas gifts brought smiles to their faces and they gave us all their blessings and best wishes. They expressed their heartfelt thanks to you all and Star Action for all the wonderful gifts (they loved the warm shawls for the winter).
…and more recently in February, he sent his update:
The latest of Star Action’s helps has come at a time when Nepal is just beginning to recover from its third lockdown. With each new lockdown, the people who need help have increased but less help is available because there’s no same sense of urgency in people or government anymore as there was in the beginning of the pandemic. The fund which you have so generously arranged for Nepal this time will also go where it’s most needed. Now that the fund has reached us, we’ve started planning for the relief distribution in a way where most people can be helped out.We thank everyone at StarAction and our other donors who made the donation for Nepal.
HOW OUR WORK HAS CONTINUED IN SPITE OF LOCKDOWN
- At February 21, 2022
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Sri Lanka has been badly hit by the pandemic, and there have been a series of ‘lockdowns’, followed by partial opening up, and then another lockdown. Different regions have been worse hit than others. It has been particularly bad in the Colombo area where Rohan lives. (As you may know, he has been working with us since the Tsunami and during the Civil War.)
The Eastern Region, where our work has been concentrated recently, has fared a little better, and as we write, things are opening up again. In
order to help all those individuals we are supporting (like our elderly granny, Arosoma), we have continued our regular payments and also a
slightly reduced salary for our teachers. Repairing damaged homes, (even those built by government agents, with substandard materials, after the Tsunami), has also been an important part of our work.
Africa has followed a similar pattern; Ghana continues to be badly hit by the pandemic and lack of vaccination supplies. However, in September we received more positive news about our little school in Asiakwa. The headmaster has told us that they are re-opening again after a second closure earlier this year. He has asked permission to have poultry on our Star Action land adjacent to the school, so
chicken and eggs can be used to supplement the school lunches. We are continuing our sponsorship of our very poor pupils, so they can attend school and also giving them their new uniforms and lunches.
India: Schools in Tirenuveli have recently reopened and life is gradually returning to normal, so we are planning to commence our new project. Through this, we will be able to give support to many more children, (mainly girls), living in their own homes, but with Star Action paying for good food for the family, and providing school uniforms and paying the school fees.
Richard & Sasees have been extraordinary in their dedication thoughout; they are pictured here following a post-Covid review meeting.
EMERGENCY COVID APPEAL FOR INDIA
- At May 16, 2021
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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UPDATE Feb 22
Thank you so much for your wonderful response to our appeal; your compassion & generosity enabled us to give the much needed extra help to our STB/Brighter Life Children’s home in Tamil Nadu, South India. In this compact community district (Tirenuveli has three and a half million inhabitants), most needing to earn daily wages, it was impossible to maintain Covid 19 Lockdown in the way it has been done throughout much of Europe. Inevitably Covid badly infected some of our children (and our elderly family too). With your help we were able to give them the care they needed, and they have recovered, except, sadly, Richard`s own mother, who passed away later in the summer.
Zahra’s progress
- At February 15, 2021
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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We have above some fabulous images from the mother of Zahra, whom SA is supporting through Veterinary School in Indonesia, along with this note:
Dear Sir,I wish you “Happy New Year 2021”, hope you and your family are happy also in good health.Zahra has completed 5th semester and will continue 6th semester in the middle of Febuary 2021. I attached Zahra’s pictures which done some activities …Thank you very much for your kindness and success for you all.Warm regards,Desy
India update
- At February 15, 2021
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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2020 has been a difficult and challenging year for our Brighter Life Children’s Home in India: It has been impossible for India to
conduct a successful lockdown against Covid 19 in the way that many others have succeeded. The sprawling population, many living on daily wages, have been unable to change their normal lifestyles very much.
To keep our children safe, and with all schools closed, Richard and Sasees have kept everyone at
home conducting their own devised school lessons (Sasees having been Head of English at a large school before she joined us).
Many families in the UK have struggled to care at home with two or three children for the long lockdown. Imagine the problems tor Sasees and Richard with over thirty. Self-discipline is a big part of the children’s home life and routine, and this has helped greatly to keep harmony and fun as main themes in 2020.
Inevitably the cost of food has risen to strain their budget and the loss of cook Rani, who now lives 100 miles away after her marriage, has compounded the challenges. But you can see from recent photos that the smiles are still there and everyone is growing stronger and brighter in the usual way. The images and video here show the celebrations and some of the new clothes that the children received at Diwali.
Nepal Update
- At February 13, 2021
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Keshav and Sujata write from Nepal:
I have sent a few photos from this year’s Christmas gift distribution program in Pokhara. On the recommendation of my sister, we visited an elderly centre in Pokhara and gave away gifts to the elderly women and men there. The Centre has been providing for 12 elderly people (both women and men) of which two were in the hospital due to some regular health issues. The Centre is in the middle of a small woods but is sunny and fresh. For the winter, we provided scarves to the ladies and jackets to the men. To support their daily ration, we provided rice, lentil, sugar, tea, salt and a special Christmas food packet too. As you can see in the photos all residents were happy and grateful. They send you lots of thanks and warm greetings.
Rakshana’s Sinhala class
- At October 21, 2020
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Rakshana was able to resume her classes on August 11th after the end of the lockdown
Arosamma’s dinner
- At October 21, 2020
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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The video shows Arosamma, a lady we are supporting in Sri Lanka, receiving a supporting income from Star Action at dinner time.
News from Brighter Life
- At June 27, 2020
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Richard has sent some images of life under lockdown in the Brighter Life home – there are certainly compensations for living in a large household!
Kate Neil Interview
- At January 02, 2020
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Letter from the Trustees
- At July 03, 2019
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Jenny writes to reflect on the work of Star Action over the last 13 years, and gives some updates on current projects
One of the most heart-warming things about our work with Star Action over the past thirteen years since we started our little charity has been the appreciation we have received from people we have been able to help – thanks to your support. As you may know, we began our work in Sri Lanka just after the terrible tsunami wave devastated parts of the south and east coast of this beautiful little island, which was also still suffering from years of civil war. Now, thankfully, the war is over but there remain many repercussions from this time, many bereaved families and traumatised people. The Tamil people in the war-torn area are still suffering inequality of opportunity, and lack of education, even in the basics of the language of the whole country (Sinhala), and this is one reason why we have been focusing recently on our education projects, as well as helping particularly sad and broken families and individuals in need of urgent medical help.
When Stuart and I were in Sri Lanka in February, we were particularly touched by the people who came to see us this time, not to ask for more help (although there were plenty of those too!) but simply to say ‘thank you’ and share what a difference Star Action’s help had made to their lives. You see, with a little charity like ours, there is a personal link with individuals – some of these dear people feel almost like our own family, as we have met them now on a number of visits. They also appreciate the continuity of seeing the same faces.
This is also true of our children’s home in India, now called ‘Brighter Life’, but originally founded as ‘Save the Babies’ right back in 1996 by our Trustee Kate. Right from the beginning she did not want the home to be too big, so there would always be a family feeling. She has achieved her goal, with the help of our wonderful houseparents, Sasees and Richard.
We are so happy that at last her family commitments at home (with help from me and Stuart in caring for her five-year old twins) are allowing her to return to her Indian family. She will be writing all about her visit in the next newsletter.
Star Action has also been able to give help in Nepal. This is a country which we know has a special place in many of your hearts as it does in mine, since my trekking days there and, latterly, my visits following the devastating earthquake. Keshav, our good friend now, also brings the ‘family feeling’ to all his work, both for Star Action, and as Deputy Headmaster of a large school in Kathmandu. The same is true of Hamida and Fred, whose latest report on our Community Centre school in Ghana is included in our Africa section.
So, dear friends, we thank you very much for all your generous support which enables us to continue this truly worthwhile work. We know it is just a ‘little drop in the ocean of need’, but the smiles on the faces of the people and children whose lives have been touched tell their own story.
With love from,
On behalf of all our Trustees,
Joan, Kate and Stuart
PS I first drafted this letter just before the tragic bombings in Sri Lanka. We are glad to report that no one involved with our Star Action work was killed or injured, but our latest reports from Rohan are that the whole country is still deeply traumatised and the income of many is affected by lack of tourist visitors, so our prayers and continuing support of all our projects are very much appreciated.
Bangladesh – supporting Shakeenah
- At September 14, 2018
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Shakeenah is our hardworking, hardstudying MBBS trainee doctor from Sri Lanka. She is beginning her fourth year at Chittagong University in Bangladesh, where she has ambitious plans to specialise in Gynaecology.
Shakeenah is the middle child of three in a poor family in Sri Lanka. She has excelled at school and passed into Chittagong Medical College, Bangladesh to study for MBBS.
The Sri Lankan Government pays her tuition fees and her Father has managed to find $130 (£100) per month to pay for her accommodation, food, and living expenses for the last two years.
Mother has bad arthritis and the family are struggling to find this essential money to keep her at the College for another (minimum) two years.
Star Action is keen to pursue this support, not only for the prospect of another much-needed doctor to practise in the Sri
Lankan Muslim Community, but also because the College is close to the massive recent influx of Rohingya refugees (mainly Muslim) driven out of Myanmar. Shakeenah and the other training doctors are likely to play a valuable part in treating these homeless refugees in the next months.
Sri Lanka – New Veterinary Student
- At September 14, 2018
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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September 2018 – Ghana update
- At September 11, 2018
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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With much capable help from our Star Action stalwarts, Hamida and Frederick Bote-Kwame, Star Action has decided to lease the Youth Training Building on the outskirts of Asiakwa to a school of 90 pupils.
The accompanying land will be used as playground and sports field.
The owner and Headteacher, Samuel Asamoah is also Pastor of a local Christian Church in the town. He runs the school on a ‘shoestring’ and his ambitions for the children are similar to ours at our children’s homes and schools. He already numbers amongst his pupils many who can only afford to pay half fees, and he has agreed to include more from poor families on free scholarships. This will be helped by Star Action charging a rental of 1 Ghana Cedi per annum (about 17 pence Sterling).
Hyper-efficient Hamida is finalising the legalities as I write, and these will include representation on the School’s Board of Management by herself and another good friend of Star Action, a retired International Architect who is a respected Elder of Asiakwa and who will safeguard our interests and closely monitor the quality of the children’s education.
September 2018 – Nepal update
- At September 11, 2018
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we have been able to send help to the earthquake-damaged Panchakoshi School in Pokhara. See our Nepal page for more details.
Update September 2018 – Sinhala Teaching
- At September 07, 2018
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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SINHALA TEACHING PROJECT UPDATE
The amazing good news is that we now have 150+ children benefiting from our growing Sinhala Teaching Project. From a small beginning—just one lady, Amudha in Lal’s village of Kayankerny teaching a few children in her home (she now has an extension which was crowded with over 40 children on our recent visit)—we have 6 more teachers in other villages, the latest being Mala in Kudamumakal, who teaches in the Nursery School (earlier request for playground equipment.) We found that she is fluent in Sinhala and very willing to have the extra job of after school Sinhala classes and a class of older children.
The Buddhist school at Mylankarachai we visited last February with Richard and Sasees is going from strength to strength, with 60 children attending. They are divided into two groups with the younger ones with two teachers, Kanthilatha and Sulakshmi, and the older children with formidable Sisili Perera—a very well organised older lady who was outspoken in her requests for books, pens and other teaching material! All our teachers are paid 5,000 rupees a month (£25) and are happy that their salaries are secure (quite unlike government paid teachers in this area who find that often their salaries remain unpaid for many months). We particularly love this Buddhist school which is right next to the Buddhist Temple and there is a most beautiful aura of peace and healing pervading this whole village.
Nirojini (see photo on page 1) has a new group along the coast in Ooriankadu and Rokshana is now using her own home to teach after school Sinhala in Mankerni. Rokshana also has two assistants, who help the 42 children of varied ages with problem homework from school.
It is so good to realise that all these children —and many more to come—will benefit from the opportunity to learn the main language of their country, not just Tamil, which is spoken only in the North and Eastern Provinces and severely limits future job opportunities.
October 2016 update
- At October 26, 2016
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Jenny travelled to Sri Lanka with her son, Michael, this year as Stuart’s wife, Bobby, was very sadly taken ill and has subsequently died. Our thoughts are with Stuart and his family.
Star Action continues to transform the lives of poor communities in Eastern Sri Lanka with agricultural projects such as rice, groundnut and chicken production. Our focus on education also continues apace, as Rakshana takes on the task of teaching children the national language of Sinhala in Mankerny – this is particularly important for the Tamil speaking children who might otherwise be unable to benefit from the national education provided. Others who have given much over the years to support the education of children here – such as Sneeha – are moving on to train in nursing with Star Action’s support and blessing.
In India, Richard and Sasees continue to provide a refuge for children. Our most recent recruits are a small group from the desperately poor Cardomom Hills region, who it is hoped will have an opportunity to break the poverty trap of poorly paid manual labour in the tea plantations that might otherwise be their meagre inheritance. The life-changing impact that our Brighter Life home (as we are now calling the Save the Babies orphanage) has, can be seen in Marcus, one of our first babies, who is now studying for his A Levels in Maths, Physics and Chemistry.
Star Action has also been able to be of assistance to more people in Nepal: we have helped by stocking the library of the Haven on Earth Orphanage that Jenny opened in 2014 and, through the generosity of one supporter, have been able to rebuild the home of a family that was destroyed in last year’s earthquake.
We are indebted to our active and growing band of supporters, who have, through their unstinting generosity, helped us to improve the lot of so many. Thank you
November 2015 Update
- At October 27, 2015
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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It’s been quiet on the blog but we have been busy working behind the scenes!
This has been another year of good progress with our projects to help individuals and families in severe poverty and to contribute to the education of the next generation. One or more of the Trustees was able to visit India and Sri Lanka during the summer and we were able to steer assistance in Nepal, after their two devastating earthquakes, from a base in Qatar.
Christmas is nearly here again. STAR ACTION Christmas gifts help you find the answer to ‘what do I give…?’ but also enable us to give more greatly needed support to really deprived children and sad families in Sri Lanka and India.
Also see our latest Newsletter for news from Nepal and a possible new project to help the Syrian refugees trying to live in Turkey.
We thank you so much for all your support throughout 2015 and send warm greeting for Christmas and the New Year ahead.
December 2014 update
- At December 29, 2014
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Thank you for all your interest and support of our Star Action work. It has been a busy year for us here at Star Action; please browse through our site or download the newsletter from the sidebar for updates on all our projects and news of new ones too—including our new friends in Nepal.
We have had a another successful year running our Christmas gift scheme and hope you have had a wonderful Christmas and a happy start to 2015.
May 2014 Update
- At May 19, 2014
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Dear Friends,
Whilst you have been enduring almost constant rain in England and Northern Europe this winter, Jenny and I have spent 3 weeks in Sri Lanka and India, both of which would have been glad of some of the water.
We shared the delight of our 27 strong Indian family at their new permanent home in Tamil Nadu and briefly met the first two (gap-year) students who had been staying to learn about India and to help the children. In Sri Lanka we met Vijayashanthi who, through your generosity, has almost fully recovered from her heart operation. We saw the joy on the faces of many family members at the prospect of a new set of clothes (Christmas 2013 appeal), and arranged for two refurbished houses and a power supply to a third. The Youth Training Centre in Ghana has also enjoyed a generous donation enabling a constant water supply to the building.
Best wishes and thanks,
Stuart
(for Star Action Trustees, Jenny, Kate and Joan)
Christmas Gift scheme – New for 2013!
- At October 29, 2013
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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This year sees the launch of our Christmas Gift scheme – a choice of gifts that can make a real difference to our friends in Sri Lanka.
Visit the Christmas Gift Page for more details.
October 2013
- At October 29, 2013
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Stuart and I have just returned from another visit to Sri Lanka and India to check up on the progress of all our projects.
In India we were very pleased with the progress in completing our new home for our ‘STB Children’. The response to our appeal in April was wonderful. After 17 years of moving from rented house to rented house, it will be a bonus to have the
permanent home and more settling for the children.
In Sri Lanka we are launching our new ‘Buy a Gift for Christmas’’ project and happily report that there is now light at our little East Coast School of Aranculam. Our teachers have their bicycles and we have two new toilets being built.
A big thank you to all our kind supporters.
April 2013 Update
- At April 13, 2013
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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It’s been a busy few months since our last update, and we are thrilled at the progress that your generous support has enabled; you can read about developments in both India and Sri Lanka by down loading our new NEWSLETTER
- Electricity for a forgotten school
- Pawalam’s house now built
- Our new Chicken Farm project...
New Home for Indian Orphans
This project is moving quickly now, and, as you can see from the picture, is two thirds of the way there. You can imagine how excited the children are about their new home!
In order to complete this permanent home for our ‘Save the Babies” family, we need a further £10 000 and are launching a special appeal to this end. Excitingly, a generous supporter of Star Action has promised to match every pound donated for this appeal up to £5 000 so your generosity will be doubled!
It’s easy to donate – find out how here.
HAPPY HOLIDAYING IN SRI LANKA?
Visit beautiful Sri Lanka. See the Island, tour our projects, and stay in our Golden Sunset Guest House. Phone Stuart at (UK) 01395 568064 or visit golden-sunset.org for more details.
A generous supporter of Star Action has promised to
match every pound donated for this appeal up to £5,000.
October Update
- At October 14, 2012
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Dear Friends and Supporters of Star Action,
I am delighted to tell you that we have received wonderful support for our emergency appeals for our destitute war widow Pawalam in Mankerny, Eastern Sri Lanka.
Thanks to your generosity, we have been able to go straight ahead and built her little house. She is now safe and dry, with new clothes for herself and all the children (these made by our sewing machine lady Sutharsini). She is so very grateful to Star Action. Thank you.
We have also received further wonderful help for our ‘Build a Toilet’ project, and this means that we can go forward with the building of two more toilets.
Great appreciation to everyone.
Love and greeting from Jenny
Little Temples for World Peace – News Update September 2012
- At August 31, 2012
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Sri Lanka
During our recent time in Sri Lanka, August 2012, I spent as much time as I could meditating in the Little Temple for World Peace by the sea. Stuart joined me for sunset prayers and meditation. We both believe that there is increasing spiritual power in this Little Temple, which has been of significance in bringing about the current peace in Sri Lanka.
Read More»July Update
- At June 24, 2012
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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June Update
- At June 06, 2012
- By Joe Cody
- In News
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Kate (Neil) has just returned from her annual summer visit to our STB Children.
They are enjoying school holiday time now and Kate reports that they are all well and happy!
More news of the new house building project to follow in her report.
May update
- At May 21, 2012
- By Joe Cody
- In News
- 0
Greeting from Jenny
- At March 24, 2012
- By Joe Cody
- In News
- 0
My dear friends and supporters of Star Action,
I have recently returned from a very rewarding visit to Sri Lanka and India, with my colleague and co-founder of Star Action, Stuart.
We try to visit Sri Lanka twice a year, if possible, but certainly each February, so we can personally check on the progress of all the up and running projects and oversee the initiation of new endeavours. This visit has been very fruitful and I am particularly excited about our new community education project in the remote and formerly war-torn East Coast village of Mankerny, and also our ‘build a toilet’ scheme in a very poor fishing community on the West Coast.
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Star Action Families
- At March 24, 2012
- By Joe Cody
- In News, Projects
- 0
In our last Newsletter we wrote about three individual families in our care in Sri Lanka, including our ‘triplets family’ and the family caring for our Little Temple. Although Maria, our ‘Temple guardian’ with her daughter Mabel and granddaughter Wasana) has now lost her elderly husband last September, and then sadly suffered a stroke herself, she is recovering well and has nearly regained the use of her left side, learning to walk again with a stick. All our families are very appreciative of Star Action’s care and support.
The triplet family are now self-supporting and all five children doing well—the two older girls being particularly clever at school.
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Asiakwa Project
- At March 01, 2012
- By Joe Cody
- In News
- 0
Latest News March 2012
Fred and Hamida are working for some months now in Kumasi, not far from Asiakwa. After a recent visit Hamida says: ‘We are currently putting the finishing touches to the building.’ She goes on to say that she has begun her teaching work at Kumasi University. We are all hoping that this will help her with the next stage of the project to get government grants and assistance from the Ghanaian Education Authorities in beginning the actual equipping and teaching work in the Centre.
Happy New Year
- At January 09, 2012
- By Joe Cody
- In News
- 0
Our dear Supporters of Star Action,
As we begin this New Year season we are writing to thank you for all your wonderful support of Star Action throughout 2011. We are really delighted at the progress which has been made in the completion of our building for the Vocational Training Centre in Asiakwa, Ghana, the subject of our appeal to you at the beginning of the year.
Read More»Star Action India News
- At December 06, 2011
- By Joe Cody
- In News
- 0
Jenny reports: All twenty children in our Save the Babies home are doing well. Our youngest child, MAYAKANNAN (2 years) and his sister DANA LAKSHMI (4 years) have settled in well and will learn enough English from Sasees to pass the ‘English Test’ all children take before Primary School. PADMINI (5 years) and MARCUS (8 years) have already passed this test. Marcus is proving particularly bright and is learning Tamil (the local language) along with Hindi and English. POPPY (3 years) now at nursery school is also good with English and could be very clever. Our cleverest older child is VELAMMAL (13 years) who in spite of her terrible start in life as a street beggar, dead mother and father suffering from leprosy, has blossomed in Save the Babies’ care. At senior school now, she came 10th out of 60 girls in the top group. She hopes to train as a nurse.
Read More»Star Action in Africa
- At December 06, 2011
- By Joe Cody
- In News
- 0
We wish to share with you the plight of our teenage friends in ASIAKWA, a remote location in Eastern region of Ghana, West Africa. Children attend school up to the compulsory lower secondary school level (age 14 years). Beyond this, many parents in this village cannot afford to continue educating their teenage children. Consequently; these young people roam around with nothing to do; they have little or no skills as they grow into adulthood; teenage pregnancy is rife in the community and also the problems of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. Signs of poverty abound in the village. In short, the community is slowly dying.
Read More»Jenny’s Marathon Swim
- At October 11, 2009
- By Joe Cody
- In News
- 0
I completed my 26 mile swim on 11th October raising just over £3,500. A huge THANK YOU to all those who gave so generously.
The money raised will enable us to complete the next stage of erecting the building to provide a Vocational Training Centre for the young people of Asiakwa. We are striving to continue fundraising for the project and you will see below details of Fred and Hamida Bote-Kwame’s Appeal.
With grateful thanks,
Jenny Dent – Star Action Trustee
Star Action Sri Lanka
- At September 06, 2008
- By Joe Cody
- In News
- 0
Again Jenny reports: Our two weeks in Sri Lanka have been very fruitful. We checked up on all our existing projects (see updated SRI LANKA PROJECTS page ….) and made plans for new ones, including helping another very poor school in the North East civil war battered area of the island. It was moving to see children leaving one of the poor schools we had previously helped, carrying their ‘Star Action school bags’.
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