IT'S just a year since the Storrie family officially opened the Rosie May Home, an orphanage in Boossa, Sri Lanka.

Then it had just five girls but now it is home to 13 with three more child victims of the disaster due to arrive soon.

And the lives of those once traumatised children are being transformed with love and care.

Mary Storrie, along with husband Graham, sons Luke and Laurence and fellow trustee Jane Lewis and her husband Martin, said they were thrilled at the progress they witnessed on their recent visit.

She said: "What a difference a year has made. The Rosie May Home is one big happy family unit and also very much part of the community.

"The girls go to the local school and the Rosie May Memorial Fund is playing a key role. We have provided a maths teacher to give local children extra tuition, created an IT suite and our next project is to create a playing field.

"A year ago the children were scared, not eating well and bed wetting and they found it difficult to make eye contact.

"Now they are so bright and confident and smile all the time. There are lots of activities going on in the home and the children have really bonded well with each other.

"When they drew pictures of their home they would include all 13 girls in their 'family'.

"When you think of the tsunami or more recently the earthquake in Haiti what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean but we are changing the lives of these girls. It's been an amazing journey for all of us.

"The key challenge for us now is to make this all fully sustainable. The youngest girl is three and they don't leave us until they are 18, and we are want to continue reaching out into their community."

One highlight of the three-week trip was a visit to the coast where the children released turtles form a hatchery onto the beach.

Mary said: "Because of the tsunami this was obviously going to be a major psychological barrier for the girls to overcome and initially they were a little scared and apprehensive of the waves.

"But within an hour they were swimming in the sea, splashing and larking about and it was difficult to get them out!"

l It costs just £20 a month to sponsor a child (food, clothing and medical care) and the Rosie May Memorial Fund also runs a volunteer scheme. Two teachers flew out at the weekend.

An information day for potential sponsors and volunteers will take place at Bottesford Baptist Church on Saturday, February 27 from 10am.