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Toby's
toil for Lanka tsunami children The rest of the Jacky family watched everything around their cabana being washed away. Glasses being smashed up. Vehicles and people drawn into the sea. "It took us nearly one hour to locate our son. A Dutch couple had rescued him and taken him to a hillock. My son would have tried to run back and look for us, if not for this family who told him to run along with them," Jacky told The Sunday Times. On his return, Toby and his school mates along with their parents were able to launch a fund-raiser for Sri Lankan tsunami victims. The students of Devenonshire House School -- their ages ranging from three to 13 -- washed cars, cleaned up houses, and did gardening to collect funds for tsunami victims. In a short period, they were able to collect nearly Rs. One million and the money was handed over to Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar on Thursday in London. Toby handing over the cheque on behalf of his school said they were giving it for the rehabilitation of Sri Lankan children orphaned by the tsunami. "I know what they went through as I was there, on a beach near Matara and separated from my family for a hour," he told the gathering which included a group of children involved in the project. He said he hoped to return this summer to Sri Lanka. He told me that he explained to his friends about the narrow escape and they all wanted to help the children of Sri Lanka in whatever possible manner. Jacky was no stranger to Sri Lanka. She was born here. She said they hoped to return to Mirissa to thank the people who helped them during the disaster. "Toby has been able to get over the fears to some extent, but my four-year-old second son still has a fear for water. I can imagine the plight of the Sri Lankan children who underwent the horror," she said. The Carrolls had earlier visited Holland to thank the family that saved the life of Toby. The headmistress of the school, Serena Alexander, who was related to Sir Thomas Maitland, Governor of Ceylon in the early 19th century, was also born in Sri Lanka. She said she was moved by the plight of the children of Sri Lanka and had lots of support for their project from the parents. Toby's experience had helped the children better understand the plight of the tsunami victims. Similar experiences shared by tsunami survivors back in London have led to several fund raising campaigns to help tsunami victims. |
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