LEO Project Foundation

I definitely recommend this experience. Unfortunately, I could only stay for a week participating in the project but I absolutely recommend spending at least 2 weeks volunteering. I was really amazed to see the birth of baby hawkbill turtles in my first hour of work! It was an incredible view. And of course, releasing the turtles in the evening, for a biologist like me, was also a 'once in a life time' experience. I did not know at that time that we were going to have baby turtles every day ;-) Personally, it was also very rewarding to have the opportunity to exchange opinions and views not only with other volunteers but especially with the visitors of the turtle project (Singhalese and foreigners). I think that the biggest strength of this project is its educational contribution towards a more environmental friendly and environmental aware society, within and outside Sri Lanka. Finally, even when I was involved in the turtle project I had the possibility of teaching English to local children which was really gratifying and loads of fun!

All in all my stay in Sri Lanka was a really interesting experience. It is a really beautiful country with amazing and very friendly people. I really miss the turtles, the other volunteers, the staff at the project and especially Anne & Amal - the whole leo team is gorgeous - not only the support during the stay, also the contact before with JR was excellent - thank you very much. I hope to have the chance to do another project with Leo once again.

It was a wonderful experience to be in Sri Lanka and also to do the turtle project. Dudley - the owner - is doing something wonderful and I am pleased, that I was able to help out for a few days. These animals are wonderful creatures and I hope many of them will be saved. It was so much fun to be around them and to show and explain everything to the tourists. When I was in Ahangama, I saw a turtle nesting on New Years Eve. That was wonderful too. Since there was also the community project at the accomandation were I stayed with the turtles, I was able to teach English to singalese children for one afternoon. That was also a great and lovely experience. The people in Sri Lanka are very ambitious, nice and smart. The traffic is crazy, but you get used to it. The country is very colorful, vivid and beautiful. And the nature is wonderful. Of course it has many problems like pollution for example and sometimes when you are a travelling woman, the people are really really curious. But it’s another culture and all in all it was a wonderful experience.

Upon signing up to volunteer with LEO, I had little idea who I would be teaching, how I would be teaching and where I would be teaching. All I knew is that I would be teaching English. Upon my arrival at Vajira Children's Home for my first day of work, the children were all lined up in the dusty quadrangle reciting Buddhist prayers under the supervision of the teachers. Although I understood nothing of what they were saying at the assembly, it was quite a unique experience, especially seeing all of the children lined up by age in such an orderly, almost military way! After meeting the principal, I was introduced to the English teacher and helped him teach his year 6, 7 and 8 classes that morning. Later on I was thrown into the deep end and had to teach a year 9 and 11 class on my own. Having only ever been on the receiving end of a class it was quite a challenging experience being entrusted with the chalk for the first time! The children were generally very respectful to you and treated you like they treat their regular teachers. The first time one of the children came and bowed at my feet I was taken aback and froze in a state of shock and disbelief! In the days that followed I began to get a better understanding of my classes, found copies of the government issued textbook the children are all given and started planning lessons each morning on the hour long bus ride to Vajira each morning (if you think you have traffic at home just wait until you experience it in Sri Lanka!). I felt the greatest real benefit to the children of having a volunteer English teacher was forcing the children into trying to speak English, as it was the only way that we could communicate with each other. Some aspects of teaching English which I found most challenging were the fact that these children all have different histories, with many of them never having attended formal schooling until recently. In some classes I was presented with children who could speak English semi-fluently while others did not even know their alphabet! At times it was taxing trying to motivate the children to listen and learn, however this is just one of the joys of teaching wherever you are in the world! All in all I found teaching English a very challenging experience but also an exceedingly rewarding one. The autonomy I was given to conduct and structure lessons myself was difficult to handle at first, but something that I learned just as much from as the children I was teaching were learning from me. There is only so much you can do in this world from behind your computer screen. It's experiences like volunteering in Sri Lanka where you learn just how charity works, how your money is spent and how you can really make a difference in the lives of underprivileged children. If you are looking for time away from work or study, volunteer through LEO. It's a unique experience that you will be drawing upon for the rest of your life.

I was happy to find the Leo Project on the net as I wanted so much to visit Sri Lanka and do some volunteer work, work that I felt was actually helping in some way, without costing me a fortune. I feel to pay a couple of hundred pounds for board and lodging in addition to giving your time is fair, whereas many of the organizations I had enquired with were requesting a large amount of money for the privilege of giving my time! In addition the flights are not cheap and none of us are made of money. Before I knew it I had arranged to arrive in Colombo in early February. Scarry when I realized I was completely on my own. I tried to ask around the travelling pages to see if anyone had experience of the Leo Project, all I received were scam mails selling their tour knowledge. So I flew out alone, with many hopes. My hopes were certainly met! I was quickly made to feel at home by Anne and her partner Ahmal. Anne is part English and both speak fluent English, as I am utterly hopeless with languages I was relieved! We arranged visits to varying establishments where I taught basic first aid, something I had never done before and was unsure whether I would enjoy. I am an emergency medical technician at home so I knew my stuff but to teach it is a whole different thing. I found I thoroughly enjoyed teaching as my students were so keen to learn. The last group I taught were girl guides which was particularly rewarding. In addition I worked in the orphanage in Colombo, an orphanage for some 200 children from birth to 18 years old. Children who so need some love and affection! I wanted to ensure that I spent my time where it was seriously needed ( I have five grandchildren at home therefore not lacking in babysitting demands) I have returned home knowing that I made a difference in those children's lives. If only a big hug here and there, or an arm around a shoulder. One whole day was spent cheering them on at their volleyball competition, which with great pride I report they won! They have so much love to give and no-one who wants to take it. So if you are thinking about joining the Leo Project...do it! You will not regret it and you will forever be a greater person for your experiences. Ms Chris Land Maidstone Kent

My time there was outstanding. I don't think I can explain the quality of time I had. I fell in love with not only the place, elephants, and people, but the project and its workers. I have no doubts about coming back. Anne, Amal, and Simon (LEO Staff) were all the friendliest and most fun people I met the entire time. I only lament I did not spend more time being with them. Well, that's what more trips are for.

My time in Sri Lanka was absolutely amazing! I had a fantastic time and thought the whole thing was unreal and a once in a lifetime opportunity. The other volunteers were lovely and I made some great new friends. Everyone at the foundation was very helpful and our mahout was great fun and made our time there very enjoyable. Would recommend it to anyone!

It was amazing!! I would seriously advise anybody thinking of going to go as it was truly a once in a lifetime experience. The only advise I'd give someone thinking of going is to find out how many volunteers are going to be at the project at the same time as they are, as the elephants have to be shared out and it can end up with up to four people on one elephant, and in all fairness there isn't really that much to do with the elephant that can be shared out among four people! Lucy and i were lucky in that we shared one elephant, Sumana who was the most gentle natured of the elephants and was the only one that didn't have to be tied up when her mahout wasn't around. At 68 she was also the oldest of the elephants. Tilanka her mahout was also amazing, he couldn't speak a word of English but made every attempt to communicate with us, and it became quite comical at times with our sign language attempts! Ruwan the on site vet was very helpful as he would translate to Tilanka what we wanted to say if we could get it across ourselves. We soon got used to waking up at seven am to go count Sumana's dung and it was an experience to say the least and then go to wash her in the river which i loved doing! As she had bad sores on her side it meant that she was unable to give tourist rides but it did mean that Lucy and i were able to spend more time with her than other volunteers did with their elephants as we were responsible for her vet checks every morning and afternoon. Gardening with Mr Karoo, which came to be known as Karooing was also an experience and a half as he doesn't half work you hard! It was really interesting though as Mr Karoo is amazingly knowledgeable and likes to teach the volunteers about the different plants and what they can do and if you're lucky he even gives you things to eat out of his garden. We were also as volunteers given the chance to go work in the local school and temples teaching English which was amazing as the children are so sweet and eager to learn and were fascinated by us. In the first week we had about 20 children collectively, well i say children but they aged from about 3 to 20. By the final week we had to split the class in two as we had over 50 people coming which was incredible! Going to the orphanage was also another option available to us where we usually just played cricket with the kids who would run to find stumps and bats as soon as we arrived as they were so happy just to let us join in and play with them. One Saturday we even got the opportunity to go to the orphanage and watch the men chop down the coconuts from the trees which was unbelievable! While we were there Lucy and I as well as other volunteers were able to travel to the tea plantations for the day which was an experience and a half as the bus journey down the hills in the pitch black was worse than being on a roller coaster! We also had our surprise trip organized by Leo which was really good as they were more than happy to accommodate other people from the foundation who wanted to come. Luckily for us the Pera Hera Kandy festival was on at the same time that we there and as volunteers at the foundation we were given the opportunity to go and watch it sat with the vets with an amazing view for free and I've never seen anything like it! It was incredible! As you can probably tell i loved everything about Sri Lanka and my time there and definitely would love to go back as soon as i get the opportunity and would like to thank everyone at Leo for making the trip what it was!