TWO SOUTHAMPTON students are taking time out to help others by volunteering at an orphanage in Sri Lanka.

Jenna Solanki and Emily Bown graduated in the summer and now they are busy raising funds to pay for the three-week trip that they hope to make later this year.

Jenna explained the organisation they are working with has a number of projects where they could help out.

"In Sri Lanka they work with a variety of different community development projects based around Colombo and Kandy.

"Many of the projects are orphanages or children's homes, which house between 20 and 150 children from disadvantaged backgrounds."

Generally, the ages of the children range from about seven to 18, although some of the homes also care for infants.

"Many of the projects receive very little government funding and rely on charitable donations to care for the children, who often have very few possessions or clothing.

"They also work with some umbrella organisations, which support clusters of projects in the Colombo area. These organisations run various initiatives for young people or for the poorest people in Sri Lanka, including English lessons, social activities and youth camps."

Jenna and Emily need to raise £1,600 to make their dream a reality and they are taking part in various fundraising activities.

"We are planning to carry out a fundraiser in a local Indian restaurant, and we are are also doing car boot sales to raise as much money as possible. The more money we raise, the more it will benefit the children," Jenna said.

The projects in Sri Lanka offer valuable support to children or young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are orphans.

While many of the young people at the projects have access to education provided by the government, they are usually unable to benefit from it fully due to the many complexities in their lives.

The support provided by the volunteers allows many of them to improve their English skills - creating more opportunities for them and teaching them about a new culture. Often, staff members do not have time to give attention to all the children, and they benefit from spending time and doing creative activities with volunteers.