London (PTI): Like the rags-to-riches story of his film 'Slumdog Millionaire', British director Danny Boyle is trying his best to help slum children in Mumbai to overcome poverty by setting up a trust fund.

Local children, who were cast in the film which Boyle shot at various locations in Mumbai his film, will have access to the fund once they finish their school education.

The director said he was devastated to learn the plight of the children, many of them were from slums areas of the city.

"Rabina (Ali, who plays young Latika) and Azza (Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, who plays a young Salim) were from very poor backgrounds.

"One night we heard a rumour that Azza's house had been demolished... We sent people to try to find him, and they found him asleep on a car rooftop," Boyle was quoted as saying in Contactmusic.com.

The British director has made sure that the children will be put through school and they have been promised a trust fund when they complete their exams to encourage them to continue their studies.

"They're learning English, and they sent me birthday cards. I started weeping when I opened them," an emotional Boyle said.