Annual Report For the Start of 2025 Academic Year Ted Foundation (Alappad & Idukki) and Help A Kerala Child (Arattupuzha, Alappuzha District)
Please find the annual update on the progress and impact of the Ted Foundation and the Help A Kerala Child initiative for the start of 2025 academic year.
Overview of the Ted Foundation (Charity Number: 1119772)
The Ted Foundation currently supports a total of 195 children:
Alappad, Kollam District: 170 children
Idukki District: 4 children
Arattupuzha, Alappuzha District: 21 children (via Kerala Link’s Help A Kerala Child initiative)
Key Team Members
United Kingdom
Linda Cartwright – Founder & Trustee
Philip Abraham – Trustee
Karren Warwick – Trustee
Padma Kumar – Trustee
Anosh George – Trustee
Ann Fitsell – Sponsor & Supporter
India
Sunil Varkey – Project Co-ordinator
Arun Chandran – English Tutor
Jyothy Byju – Mother Co-ordinator
Visits and Engagement
Last year, Trustees Linda Cartwright, Philip Abraham, and Karren Warwick visited India to take part in the school essentials distribution programme. Unfortunately, no representatives from the UK were able to attend this year’s event.
This year the distribution event was coordinated locally by Sunil Varkey and Jyothy Byju, who ensured the execution of activities on the ground.
Foundation Background
Founded by Linda Cartwright of West Sussex, England, the Ted Foundation grew with the support of Kerala Link. At its peak, the foundation supported over 300 children. Today, over 100 children have completed their schooling and are now in higher education or employed in both the public and private sectors, including overseas in Gulf countries.
Currently, the Ted Foundation supports 195 children across three key project areas:
Alappad (170 children)
Idukki (4 children)
Arattupuzha (21 children, through Help A Kerala Child)
Project Highlights
Alappad Project (Kollam District)
Despite severe monsoon weather – with gusty winds between 35–55 km/h – the school essentials distribution event was held on 29 May. Rucksacks containing school supplies were handed out to the children.
During the event, high winds damaged part of the hall’s roof (see picture above), allowing rainwater to enter. Luckily, no one got injured. Thanks to the quick efforts of mothers and students, all the books and supplies were safely relocated to a dry area. Children were told to pick a kit and go home. So there was no photo opportunity with all the children with their school kits.
Idukki Project
This smaller project was initiated with the support of Mrs. Ann Fitsell, originally from Idukki but now residing in the UK. With only four students in the region, their school supplies were hand-delivered to their homes by our coordinator Sunil Varkey.
Help A Kerala Child – Arattupuzha (Alappuzha District)
A Kerala Link initiative, this project was developed to improve English fluency among children in Arattupuzha to enhance their future employability across India and in the Gulf region.
Weekly spoken English classes are conducted every Saturday, initially hosted on the veranda of a kind well-wisher – to whom we extend our sincere thanks. As the hosts now required more privacy in their home, a new venue was secured and renovated, now providing a more stable setting for the lessons. We have now bought 24 new chairs for the tuition, and we will also be acquiring a whiteboard to support the classes. The programme is progressing well under the guidance of the tutor Arun Chandran
A touching story from the project:
Sree Vaikundeshwar, one of our sponsored children who is an orphan, raised by his grandmother, was given a bicycle last year by the foundation to help him attend school and tuition classes. He has now been granted admission to a residential government school for orphans and has moved out of the area. We wish him all the best in this new chapter of his life. His place in the project will soon be filled by another deserving child.
Support Us
We remain dedicated to our mission of helping Kerala’s children access education and will continue to work to uplift the lives of those in need.
If you or someone you know would like to support the work of the Ted Foundation or its affiliated projects, please contact:
Philip Abraham
Mob: +44 7886 279688
Email: philip@keralalink.co.uk
Together, we can keep changing lives – one child at a time
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