Ocean Stars Lanka Team (OSL)

Salujah

Assistant Director

Hello everyone, my name is Salujah Dilshan. I graduated from South-Eastern University with my first degree and joined Ocean Stars Lanka (OSL) on April 18th, 2022, as a Sponsorship Manager and Preschool Assistant. Recently, I was promoted to the position of Assistant Director of OSL. I feel privileged and proud to be part of this organization.

In my role, I handle various responsibilities such as paperwork, financial tasks, team leadership and management, decision-making, and stakeholder engagement. I am passionate about sports, love working with children, and am deeply committed to helping underprivileged kids.

When I was offered the job with OSL, I was thrilled. The best part of my job is working with children, collaborating with volunteers, and contributing to the Child Development Programme. I also enjoy being part of the supportive and dedicated OSL team. Overall, I am very happy and grateful for this opportunity. Thank you.

Danushika

Sponsorship Manager & Preschool Assistant

Hello, my name is Kanna Danushika. I have successfully completed my A/L examination and pursued a 6-month course in Information and Communication Technology, specializing as a Technician. Currently, I am working as the Sponsorship Manager and Preschool Assistant at Ocean Stars Lanka.
One of my greatest passions is working with children. I find it incredibly rewarding to contribute to their growth and development, and I love creating a positive and nurturing environment for them. In my role, I enjoy engaging with the children, fostering their creativity, and helping them learn new skills.
In the short term, I am looking for opportunities to showcase my skills and further grow my career. In my free time, I enjoy drawing and reading books, which help fuel my creativity and broaden my knowledge.

Dishanthini

Preschool Manager & Sponsorship Assistant

Hello everyone. My name is Havaskar Dishanthini. I have successfully completed A/L Exam, Information and Communication Technology Technologist NVQ (Grade – 04), Diploma in Graphic Design and Diploma in Pre and Primary School and joined Ocean Stars Lanka (OSL) in January, 2020. as a Pre School Manager and Sponsorship Supervisor. I am passionate about working with children and deeply committed to helping underprivileged children and I am responsible for the welfare of our preschool communities and would like to see preschools come under Ocean Stars Lanka.

My role includes monthly visits to our 25 pre-schools in Batticaloa and Ampara districts, WhatsApp group activities, 14 preschool feeding groups and recording any needs of the preschool in the way of classroom environment and resources. Monitoring the activity three times a year as in charge of Child Development Program Tool and organizing teacher trainings for teachers. Organizing committee meeting at Ocean Star Lanka. Organizing 03 days residential teacher training for teachers to be conducted once a year. Special arrangements are made for pre-school visiting volunteers when they arrive.

I assist the Sponsorship Manager in my other role as Sponsorship Supervisor and regularly liaise with our sponsor families to check their record books. I am looking for opportunities to showcase my skills and further develop my career. In my spare time I enjoy in my gardening.

Chithra

Office Manager

Hello everyone. My name is Havaskar Dishanthini. I have successfully completed A/L Exam, Information and Communication Technology Technologist NVQ (Grade – 04), Diploma in Graphic Design and Diploma in Pre and Primary School and joined Ocean Stars Lanka (OSL) in January, 2020. as a Pre School Manager and Sponsorship Supervisor. I am passionate about working with children and deeply committed to helping underprivileged children and I am responsible for the welfare of our preschool communities and would like to see preschools come under Ocean Stars Lanka.

My role includes monthly visits to our 25 pre-schools in Batticaloa and Ampara districts, WhatsApp group activities, 14 preschool feeding groups and recording any needs of the preschool in the way of classroom environment and resources. Monitoring the activity three times a year as in charge of Child Development Program Tool and organizing teacher trainings for teachers. Organizing committee meeting at Ocean Star Lanka. Organizing 03 days residential teacher training for teachers to be conducted once a year. Special arrangements are made for pre-school visiting volunteers when they arrive.

I assist the Sponsorship Manager in my other role as Sponsorship Supervisor and regularly liaise with our sponsor families to check their record books. I am looking for opportunities to showcase my skills and further develop my career. In my spare time I enjoy in my gardening.

Ocean Stars in the UK

John Bunter

Chair

I’m John Bunter and I now serve as OST Chairperson.  I have had a long affiliation with Sri Lanka, largely through my wife Dilanee, who founded the charity, and I have visited the country many times over the years and have gained an appreciation of the cultural, political and economic issues facing the country.

As a family we live in Fleet, Hampshire. Our three children, who have now emerged into their 20s, have all taken an interest in OST and its projects in the country, and have taken part in several of the October visits. My

professional background is in teaching modern languages to secondary age school children. I also have a keen interest in helping local sports clubs, and took much pleasure in 2010 in taking our local youth cricket team on tour to Sri Lanka. 

Wendy Hayne

Secretary

I first became involved in Ocean Stars in 2012 when I visited Sri Lanka with a colleague from school. Our visit was to look at whether an international school partnership could be set up between CPS and some selected schools in Sri Lanka. Since then, I have visited each year that travel has been allowed, usually taking a group of students from the school. About a year ago I was asked if I might be willing to take on the Secretary role for the Trustees, and I am enjoying getting to know how the charity runs its many and varied projects behind the scenes, which makes Ocean Stars the amazing charity it is.

Jo Barto

Trustee & Sponsorship

Hi, I’m Jo & I hold the post of secretary on our Board of Trustees.  I also manage our sponsorship scheme.  I have been involved with Ocean Stars since its inception in 2005 & it has been a privilege to see how it has grown over the years.  I have known Dilanee since I first moved to Fleet in 1991 & our children all grew up together so it felt only natural to become involved following the Boxing Day tsunami when Dilanee first began fund raising to bring relief to those affected.

I have visited our projects and schools in Sri Lanka & have seen first-hand the impact that Ocean Stars has on the lives of people living in some of the most remote parts of the country.

Dilanee Bunter

Founder and Head of operations

Hi I’m Dilanee Bunter and I was born in Sri Lanka and lived there until I was 15 years old. When the Tsunami happened on 26th Dec 2004, I felt I wanted to do something personal to help the people of Sri Lanka rebuild their shattered lives. Friends and relatives in Sri Lanka introduced me to various post-Tsunami relief projects and so the Ocean Stars Trust was born. I work as a teacher and a counsellor for the Education Other Than at School (EOTAS) Service of Hampshire County Council.

Jennie Gilbert

Trustee and Social Media Manager

I have recently had the pleasure of becoming an Ocean Stars Trustee. As a family friend of the Bunters, I have known about Ocean Stars since the beginning and have always admired the commitment and dedication the OST team puts into helping people in Sri Lanka. My involvement began in helping out with the numerous fundraisers held throughout the year until I became the Ocean Stars ‘Intern’ in 2014.  I learned a lot during the internship and when it came to an end in 2015, I was honoured to be offered the position of Trustee.  I carry out a lot of the administrative tasks and my Excel knowledge has certainly been put to good use!

Dan Haylett

It is a real privilege to be involved with Ocean Stars as a new Trustee. I’ve seen at first-hand the real difference that the hard work and generosity of many is making to the lives of communities in Sri Lanka. I’m looking forward to being involved with Ocean Stars and seeing how the work with children and young people will develop and grow.

Cameron Williams

Trustee

Hi, I’m Cam, I have been studying and working in the international development field for the past 7 years now and recently carried over my Project Evaluation skillset to the charity sector. I have had the pleasure of knowing the Bunter family for four years now and within that time I was lucky enough to spend time in Sri Lanka, admiring the wonderful island, but also visiting the excellent projects of Ocean Stars. I was incredibly impressed by what I saw and since, the hard work I have come to know in the background. I therefore leapt at the opportunity to become part of the organisation and I was delighted when my application to be a Trustee was approved in early 2022. I hope to both provide my professional insight where I can, but also immerse myself and learn from the wonderful staff we have in Ocean Stars Lanka, but also the brilliant Trustees around me.

Kim Gilbert

Preschool Link Manager

I am the Preschool Link Manager co-ordinating and promoting Ocean Stars awareness with targeted preschools, nurseries and schools. I became aware of OST through my son and his wife when they visited Sri Lanka as part of the team. I was privileged to have visited the Projects and Preschools in Kilinochi, Trincomalee and Batticaloa in 2019 and seen for myself the amazing work the Trust carries out.

Denise Barnes

Trustee

Hi, I’m Denise, I’m delighted to join the team as a new trustee. I am looking forward to making a real difference to the trust and the young people of Sri Lanka. Having spent my career in industry working with some large organisations and multinationals I am hoping to bring some of those techniques to the charity to help it grow and be sustainable into the future. Some of the activities which the trust has been and will be involved with, are frankly life changing and I am inspired by having the ability to make actions which will be truly life changing to the youngsters in Sri Lanka and giving them hope for the future and the belief they can be whatever they want to be.

Rachel Angel

Trustee

Hi, I’m Rachel. I have a strong connection with Sri Lanka, having first visited the island in 2001 and witnessing first-hand the devasting effects of the tsunami in 2004. I had the privilege of travelling with a group of CPS students for 3 subsequent trips and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the wonderful work of Ocean Stars and the impact of the charity on the children and communities it supports in some very poor and underfunded regions. I hope to remain involved in the charity and support its remarkable work in the years to come as my role of trustee. 

Amali Bunter

Co-opted Trustee

I’m delighted to continue to support the work of Ocean Stars Trust. I have been involved in the organisation since the beginning and have seen the community grow over the years, particularly since the first team visits. It is a pleasure to work closely with the U.K. trustee board focusing specifically on the annual away day and the yearly strategic review. Through this, we are able to ensure Ocean Stars continues to evolve as an organisation to be as sustainable and impactful as possible.

Tim Ruepke

Co-opted Trustee

I have been following the remarkable development of OST for over ten years and have had the privilege to be part of the organization as a Co-Opted Trustee since 2019. I personally try to contribute by advising the board on difficult financial decisions and making sure that any contributions are used in the most efficient and effective way. I am proud to see how far OST has come in changing people’s lives in Sri Lanka and enables to children have opportunities through the power of education.

Our Vision & Mission

OSL Vision

To provide equal opportunities through education for every child in Sri Lanka.

Our Mission

Identify barriers to children’s education and provide support to ensure equal opportunities for every child in Sri Lanka.

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