Tea Leaf Trust

Established in 2010, by Tim Pare and wife Yasmine, the Tea Leaf Trust is a UK-registered charity that develops and supports educational centres in Sri Lanka’s hill country providing crucial educational support to young people and children from the tea estates. 

Since its formation the Trust has helped over 250,000 young people. It’s aims are to:

• deliver high quality educational programmes to young people & children from the tea estates of Sri Lanka;
• improve youth employability by developing high-standard English language and professional skills;
• effect social transformation in tea estate communities through programmes of community service;
• develop the emotional health and personal strength of young people from the tea estate communities.

Keswick Rotary and Tea Leaf Trust

We have supported the Tea Leaf Trust since 2013 and currently sponsor the annual Speech Conference. Succeeding in the professional work environment in Sri Lanka requires a good grasp of the English language and the Speech Conference helps the students to enhance their level of confidence and professional presenting skills. 

Each student presents their business ideas with the best individual speeches and Social Enterprise idea from each class selected. The conference is recognised both locally and nationally and is well attended by business executives and government officials. 

Growing up on a Tea Estate - the Challenges

• Over 85% of students live on less than Rs. 300/- per day (less than £2);
• over 75% of men suffer from alcoholism; 
• 83% of women have suffered domestic violence; and 
• only 20% have a secondary education, compared to the national average of 50%. 

With all these factors, it is hard for the youth of the tea estates to lift themselves or their families from poverty.

Work of the Tea Leaf Trust

The Tea Leaf Trust founded and supports the running of Education Centres, delivering programmes of English language and personal and professional development to 18-24-year-olds from the tea estates. 

Run by young people for young people, the centres focus on programmes that prioritise English and employability and emotional health support; allowing around 320 young adults each year to improve their chances for personal and professional success. 

The staff are all graduates of the programme themselves, and offer strong, positive role models; able to understand the difficulties faced by the students whilst demonstrating what can be achieved by a good education. 

The centres are concerned also with community development, supporting young people to become active agents of positive change in their communities and to develop skills to cope positively with the challenges they face.