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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