In a quiet village in Mannar, a group of children gather beneath a single tree each afternoon. There is no classroom, no desks, no shelter. Just open sky, dusty ground, and an eagerness to learn that refuses to fade. When these sessions first began, there were just eighteen students. Today, there are more than forty-three. They arrive early, sit on the floor, and stay long after the lesson ends because something inside them has awakened. For the first time in their lives, education feels alive.

Many of these young people come from families who have lived through generations of hardship, where the expected path is tending cattle or working in the fields. Not because they lack ability, but because no one has ever opened a door wide enough for them to walk through. Yet with one committed teacher, everything has started to shift. They are reading. They are counting. They are imagining futures that once felt impossible. Within every one of them is a future scholar, engineer, or leader of Sri Lanka waiting to emerge.

This is why I’m taking on a 24-hour endurance challenge. I want to help the Blue Magpie Foundation build the first learning centre in this village — a simple but transformative space with walls, a roof, and a floor that protects these children during the monsoon season. When I first heard about this project, what struck me most was the children’s enthusiasm. Even with no classroom and no resources, they show up with joy and hunger to learn. It warmed my heart — and it humbled me. Their determination reminded me that true genius can come from anywhere. Einstein-level curiosity doesn’t require luxury; it requires opportunity.

I don’t have money to give. But I have my body, my willpower, and my platform. So I’m choosing to use them. By completing this 24-hour challenge, I’m raising funds to help purchase the land and build this learning centre — a place that will introduce strong foundational teaching and eventually AI-supported learning tools, opening pathways these children have never had access to.

Every contribution will go directly towards the construction of this centre. Donors will be able to see updates, progress, and stories from the children themselves, so you can witness exactly what your support is building. These young people do not need saving. What they need is a space worthy of their potential. Together, we can give them that.

If this moves you, join me. Your support becomes part of their story — and their story is only just beginning.