Their Future Today Updates – Spring Newsletter - 20 Years of Transforming Lives - Foster care in Sri Lanka
- Joel Stanier
- May 2
- 8 min read
“ First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Mahatma Ghandi.
Thanks to your generosity and our hardworking Sri Lanka team, 2025 started off in ways that we couldn’t have imagined. We’re excited to share that after twenty years of banging the drum and advocating to end the institutionalisation of children in Sri Lanka — two decades of heartbreak, hope, and unwavering belief — at last we have the incredible news that system change is in sight.
For too long, we have watched the pain of invisible children growing up without love and hidden behind orphanage walls, their voices unheard, their futures forgotten. We’ve worked together to show that poverty, not loss of love, is the true orphan-maker, and stood firmly against a harmful system built on separation and silence, knowing that behind every lost child is the story of a heartbroken mother who needs help.
2025 is already becoming one of our most transformative years yet—filled with powerful milestones and a new era is now dawning — one where children will be seen, heard, and held where they belong: in loving families, not institutions.
We know what works. We’ve seen lives changed. But we cannot do it alone.
Whether you’ve donated, volunteered, hosted an event, or shared this message—you’re a valuable part of our story, and together we can build a future where every child has the chance to grow up with dignity and love.
In a changing and challenging fundraising landscape, it is only with your kindness, belief, connections and continued generosity that we can do this life-changing work to give children the love and lives they deserve.
We invite you to partner with us as a change maker at this exciting time, share our story with your friends — leave a legacy, be a regular donor, fundraiser, ambassador, or corporate sponsor—and help us to continue to deliver real impactful and lasting change for children and families who don’t want charity, but simply a chance to be together and thrive.
Thank you for standing with them. Thank you for believing in us.
Loving kindness
Lynn, Joel and the TFT Team
Their Future Today
Celebrations and intimations at the British High Commissioners Residence, Colombo
His Excellency Andrew Patrick with our team, Deshabandu Lynn Stanier MBE, Deshamanya Percy Gunaratna, Nimmu Kumari, Joel Stanier and Marini De Livera.
It was an honour to be invited by His Excellency Andrew Patrick, the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka to celebrate TFT’s 20 years of supporting institutionalised and disadvantaged children and their families at his beautiful residence in Colombo. His Excellency gave recognition to our award-winning TFT team, with special thanks given to our steadfast supporters in the UK and beyond - particularly to the EA Foundation and Peter Cundill Foundation.
Our new award winning film showcasing our 20 years was premiered for the first time -thanks to Helpfilms UK who create high end videos free of charge to specially selected small charities.
We received excellent feedback from Teona Aslanishvili UNICEF’s Chief of Child Protection who commented the film gave her real insight and understanding into our work, and extended her congratulations.
This was also an opportunity for us to connect Gayani Wijesinghe, National Childcare Probation Services Commissioner, district commissioners, influential stakeholders, including NGO leaders, corporate executives, bank managers, UNICEF and most importantly care leavers who are demanding better care in orphanages, while advocating for system change and family and foster care solutions.
His Excellency’s final words set the stage for an in-depth exploration of the challenges and opportunities surrounding foster care, and he intimated that an important announcement was to be made by the UK Foreign Office the following day.
Uniting Countries To End Institutionalisation
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Hollywood actor Barry Keoghan launched the first-ever global campaign on care reform for children.
🌍 The campaign will later launch a Global Charter, uniting governments worldwide, in a bid to end the use of children’s institutions and redirect funding and political will to reforms that will get children into families.
We have been asking for miracles and this couldn’t have happened at a better time.
To put this global charter into context, to stop the tragedy of institutionalisation and abuse of children is not just important—it is essential.
A meeting has since taken place at the Foreign Office with Rachel Mason, Head of Children’s Care Reform. She said she was truly touched by the TFT story, and promised her support for Sri Lanka. After 20 years of fighting to be heard, this was the first time anyone in government has recognised the children in orphanages, in one of the UK’s much loved but under funded Commonwealth countries.
A Historic Gathering of Childcare Commissioners
A groundbreaking roundtable discussion meeting was held about Alternative Family Care, focused on the concept of foster care, led by our specialist partner Dr. Vasundhra Om Prem, Centre of Excellence Alternative Care India. This historic gathering united a remarkable assembly of key stakeholders, including the National Probation Commissioner and six out of nine district commissioners from across Sri Lanka. Many of these officials travelled up to seven hours to participate, demonstrating their interest in reimagining child welfare in the country. The Prime Minister was unable to attend but sent a supportive response.
This gathering felt like a pivotal moment, one that may shape new policies. The discussions concluded with a profound consensus and objectives aligned for implementing systemic change in child care and the unknown concept of foster care across Sri Lanka.
We launched our Alternative Family and Foster Care for Children in Sri Lanka Frequently Asked Questions Handbook for practitioners, and our specialist partner Dr. Vasundhra’s expertise in foster care served as a guiding light. The district commissioners expressed their immense gratitude and enthusiasm and said this handbook was much needed. They were were also very pleased with the opportunity to ask questions and learn from Dr. Vasundhra’s vast knowledge and expertise in foster care which she is developing in India.
It was unanimously agreed that children in orphanages deserve better—a future where they can grow up loved, nurtured, and in families. The seeds for change sown over many years are starting to grow and this marks a new beginning —not only for systemic change to childcare in the Southern Province where many of our projects are based, but for the entire country.
The News We’ve Waiting Two Decades To Hear
One month later, on 10th February, Lynn was invited to an informal meeting with Teona Aslanishvili, UNICEF Head of Child Protection, where she confided that UNICEF will be supporting foster care in Sri Lanka for the first time in 2025.
This marks a historic and transformative step for the country — recognising foster care as a vital alternative to institutionalisation and opening the door for thousands of children to have the chance to grow up in safe, nurturing family environments, where they truly belong.
It is also a significant milestone for Their Future Today, reinforcing our mission and years of advocacy to end the harmful institutionalisation of children. We are proud to continue working alongside the government, UNICEF, and partners to help shape and deliver sustainable foster care solutions — giving every child the opportunity for love, security, and a brighter future within a family.
From House of Worries to House of Dreams
Nimmu Kumari, TFT Alternative Family Care Co-ordinator leads a new initiative “ From House of Worries to House of Dreams programme—working directly with children in orphanages to help them address their worries and imagine their perfect lives and futures. Through creative writing and artistic sessions, this enables children without hope to feel valued and allows those who can to dream —but the role goes far deeper to:
Collect valuable data on children in orphanages, for mapping and research
Educate orphanage managers about child protection and alternative family care
Provide information about the unknown concept of foster care
In these conversations, many matrons have shared how unprepared children feel when they are forced to leave institutions at 18 years old:
“Children are not ready to accept the reality that they have to leave the CDC after turning 18, so they are always in a sad mood.”
There is a growing understanding that this system must change. One matron shared:
“Please launch campaigns to educate the public about the importance of foster care and the positive impact it can have on children’s lives.”
By combining direct work with children and frontline staff, The House of Dreams project is both a listening tool and a catalyst for change, ensuring that reform is guided by those with lived experience and on-the-ground insight.
To date, the project has reached 583 beneficiaries, and repeat visits have been requested as there has been a marked improvement in the children’s mental health after the sessions.
All 106 orphanages in the Western Province have now requested this impactful programme.
Watch the video by clicking the picture below:
Beyond Borders
TFT was invited by David Foster, journalist and presenter, to be part of a global documentary, highlighting the hidden struggles of institutionalised girls and amplifying voices that have been silenced for far too long.
You can see our clip at the start of this Beyond Borders documentary by TRT World called Finding Serendipity— coincidentally, (is there such a thing?) David found us through a totally serendipitous chain of events, and now after years of silence, the truth about orphanages has finally been told.
Books Helping to Make a Difference
Our Ambassador Marcia Summers trekked 1000km across Sri Lanka in three stages, from Galle to Jaffna, exploring the country’s hidden gems and raising over £30,000 for TFT and the Womens Development Centre in Kandy to support vulnerable women and children escaping abuse. She self-funded her journey, ensuring 100% of the funds went directly to those in need.
Now, through her book, "Trekking Sri Lanka: More Than a Travel Guide", she’s sharing her incredible journey and helping to revive tourism in Sri Lanka, a vital lifeline for many, and giving profits to TFT and WDC.
You can buy the book directly using the button below. It will also be available as an eBook on Kindle and Kobo. Don’t miss out on this inspiring story. Get a copy today!
We are also grateful to our patron, Richard Farleigh, for inviting us to the sold-out launch of not one but two of his books at Home Grown Private Members Club—all in support of TFT!
Richard shared his incredible journey from childhood in foster care to becoming one of the world’s most successful businessmen and gave a behind-the-scenes insight of Dragons’ Den. He was interviewed by our brilliant friend, composer and musician Jason Kouchak, making for an inspiring evening.
It was also the perfect opportunity for Lynn to announce that, after two decades of advocacy, the concept of foster care has finally been approved in Sri Lanka for the first time. Now, more than ever, we need funding to make this a reality for children who need loving families, and this is our next big challenge.
We invited the visionary entrepreneurs in the room to look beyond personal success and consider the legacy we all leave behind.
A Huge Thank You to Noah and the Eton Boys!
We are incredibly grateful to Noah Ostborn and the more than 50 boys from Eton College who took on an extraordinary challenge to support Their Future Today. Over just 7 days, they cycled an amazing 1,370km – all to raise awareness and funds for our work with vulnerable children and families in Sri Lanka.
Thanks to their efforts and the generosity of supporters – including Gift Aid – they’re set to surpass their fundraising goal of £2,000. Alongside the impressive physical achievement, this challenge sparked many conversations in the community and helped shine a light on the challenges faced by the children and families we support.
From all of us at Their Future Today – thank you, Noah and team, and everyone who helps make a difference. Your commitment, energy, and compassion mean the world to those who need it most.
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