A soup to start the day

A teacher of a rural school in Puttalam has been feeding underprivileged children for nine years after he witnessed the state of the children’s nutrition.

L ASK el um, a teacher at Uttara Attawilluwa government school provides soup or porridge varieties three days a week to school children.

The Principal of Attawilluwa School, Wasantha Weerakumara said that teacher Kelum is also an Ayurvedic doctor at Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda School but has stopped practicing as a doctor to teach.

He said that the teacher, a father of two, wakes up around 3 am to prepare soup or porridge which he then brings to school on his motor bicycle.

In addition to providing soup and porridge at his expense, he also provides a meal to students who stay on after school for extra classes.

Mr Kelum told the Sunday Times that he embarked on the mission of providing soups and porridge for school children as most parents were used to giving them short eats.

“I am doing this service using both my wife’s and my salaries; I have not asked for money from anyone,” he said.