Saltus students became all too aware last year of the devastating effects natural disasters can wreak on people. Students and staff at all three departments held numerous fundraisers after hurricanes hit the West Indies hard last September.

Back at school this month the students have not forgotten the problems that victims in the Caribbean continue to face but they also have begun raising funds for tsunami victims.

A whopping $12,100 was raised by students in the senior school after holding a week a grub days.

Starting on January 10, students dressed in the colours of a flag of a country devastated by the waves.

Each student paid $5 a day to participate. Monday students turned their attention to Indonesia, on Tuesday Sri Lanka,Wednesday India, Thursday Thailand and Friday, Somalia.

Indian student Rehan Syed looked at the tally on Thursday of $9,500 and calculated that those funds could feed 17,100 people three meals a day or rent 107 houses for families of four for an entire year.

At Saltus junior school students are raising money to give to the family of one of their Sri Lankan classmates.

The students will hold a series of grub days and funds from the first one will be given to the family. Donations received for the remaining three Fridays will be given to the Bermuda Red Cross. In addition to the grub days, each year group will be holding separate fundraising activities.

Among the events planned are a special collection box for loose change with J4 students and a chance to watch cartoons during lunchtime for a $1 fee and chips and drink at $1 for J7 students.

At Saltus Cavendish students are donating a penny a day for tsunami relief. In the first week $1,306.71 was collected.

A letter sent to parents explained that if every student participated $12.50 would be raised a week and that would be enough to buy an emergency health kit with medical supplies and drugs to cover two people for three months.

Additionally the coin collection will be used to help the students improve their math skills as they will have to sort, count and even graph the coins collected.

Saltus Cavendish students also bring in one non-perishable food item a week to be donated to local families in need.

Saltus junior school students will be holding a bake sale at the end of the month to aid victims in Grenada and the money raised will be used to purchase basic equipment and books for a primary school which Bermuda Regiment soldiers will be helping to rebuild in February.