Blog
Back in the start of 2017 my question for “What is Rotaract?” was mostly answered with;
“Simply, it is a platform you can join to engage in community service like helping people”.
Walking five years forward I would say “It is a platform where you can build yourself and find your strong points as a confident youth while you follow your passion in any direction.”
Being a Rotaractor is not simply bound to its title, it is a place where one can learn teamwork, collaboration, leadership and if you want to develop or find your hidden talents its a place for that too.
My entrance to Rotaract journey was merely a combination of passion for community service and a finding of a hidden passion for writing during my university days. Within the 2.5 years of serving as a writer and an editor for Rotaract Club of University of Moratuwa there, I have met souls who were deeply driven by the service for others. There is no doubt that organizing projects, collaborating with your peer Rotaractors to showdown massive events in the university calendar and most of all helping out children who require various supports through number of projects that were executed during the time truly added some excitement to my university days.Seeing and engaging with dynamic teams who would give it all for the benefit of others and ones who come with different creativity levels to assist these initiatives were one of the greatest inspirations that I had to stay connected to this wonderful fraternity even after the university days.
All in all, in 2019 while I was able to start my journey as a Rotaractor at the Rotaract Club of Alumni of University of Moratuwa. Joining as a general member who again served as writer for the PR team of the club, I was part of this new yet a familiar family.
It is no secret that the years 2020-2021 are recorded as a blackhole in many of our timelines because of the global pandemic which held back most of our plans and restrained ourselves to our homes. Yet, I would say 2020 was a great year that opened doors for me to identify a set of young adults from all around the world and from different professional levels but had only one mission which is to give something good to their communities.
Stepping on to the role of Secretary for the year 2021-2022 during the last year was another feet forward and yet again a milestone in my Rotaract Journey. They say “Teamwork makes the dream work”. Well last year was truly an evidence to that statement. A team with graduates, fresh graduates, final year students from all over the country all coming together to make brilliant plans to address issues that they see during their journey and ones that our communities encounter is a remarkable factor. Supporting their brilliant ideas so they see the light of the day and elevating them was truly something that I myself along with the team enjoyed during the last year. Not to say Rotaract was definitely a positive distraction to that every day routine we all had.
Looking back at the past year, it was a long journey that fell short because of all the hands we had together as a team. All the senior members including past presidents and secretaries were the guiding light to me and the whole team. From teaching histories to making us realize how we could take the next turn, they were the backbone to this wonderful family. The lead behind all these initiatives, Rtr. Kavinda Senarathne, our Mr. President for the year 2021-22 was truly the best humble human being that a team could ask for as a leader and yet again a good friend who would keep all of the team together. The support given by all the fellow Rotaractors, Interactors and Rotarians and all the partners that held our hand last year was truly generous.
If I would say last year in just three words; it would be “Impactful, teamwork and fun”. After all life simply turns, but doing what you love with all your heart and yet again building yourself through it will keep you going in life. Rotaract is definitely a place where you could give that a try. Here’s to many more wonderful years! Viva la Rotaract!
~Rtr. Sithmi Lawanga
