Rotaract plays a key role in my university life. It made my university life a happening one. I was actively involved in extracurricular activities during my school time, but at the same time, I was not a fan of Interact or Rotaract. So, I never planned to join. However, before our academic journey started, there was a long period of staying at home after university registration. During that time, I randomly got the link to join Rotaract. Since I felt very bored, I decided to join Rotaract and continue only until academics started.

So, I joined with the Club Service Avenue and later applied for the 15th Installation OC as a PR coordinator. After this, I felt working in Rotaract was interesting, so I joined Christinzel’24, Rota Vasantha Udanaya, Vesak Dansala and Kelani Handawa, which were organized by the Club Service Avenue. The culture of the Club Service Avenue was very different and very stressful. In my 22 years, I had never faced such a challenging year. But working as a Team Leader of Club Service was such a great privilege and helped me discover who I am today. A huge number of soft skills, especially time management, stress handling, multitasking, understanding different leadership personalities, and identifying individuals’ skills, were gained through Club Service. Working with my co-TLs Isuri, Wathsala, and Chamod ayya, along with the guidance of overlooking Vice President Pabamini akki and co-directors Himantha ayya, Navindya akki, and Nethara akki, became a huge part of my growth during that year.

One of the best decisions I made in my first year of Rotaract was selecting the IT Avenue as my technical avenue. Then I applied for Eduketha, an IT Avenue project OC, since I wanted to get the experience of working with a deaf school. One phase of Eduketha was a 6-month ICT session series for deaf school students. I really loved this IT Avenue bunch. The environment truly felt like a home — no pressure, only happiness and volunteering. Working with overlooking Assistant Secretary Sachinthani akki and co-directors Vandana akki and Gimhana ayya made the experience even more memorable. Media Spark and Rota Tomorrow were two other projects I was involved in during this journey.

Beyond projects and responsibilities, Rotaract also gave me some truly valuable friendships. Anuji, Dinuki, Kareema, and Nilakshi became amazing individuals who entered my close circle through this journey. What started with volunteering and projects slowly turned into unforgettable memories, endless support, and friendships that became one of the best parts of my Rotaract life.

In term 25-26, I got selected as a Vice President with Isurika and Pahan as the other two Vice Presidents. I got the International Services Avenue and Member Relations Avenue as my overlooking avenues. Both avenues started in a very challenging way, but in the end, both became very successful.

First, talking about the IS Avenue, it was a completely new journey for me because I was not a person from an IS background. From learning about letterhead exchanges, contacting foreign clubs, and working with twin club agreements, everything was a new experience for me. We were able to organize Merge 3.0, a hybrid conference, with huge success, with the participation of 18 local clubs, 6 foreign clubs, and 150+ participants at BMICH. After that, we were able to successfully conclude Diversia 2.0, We Care 3.0, the IOM Migration Session, and Hope Blooms, which created social impact both locally and globally.

We initiated the Hope Blooms project with a great idea that supports individuals with Down syndrome. We were not limited to Sri Lanka; we spread this hope across 6 countries covering 3 continents. IS powerhouses, my friends Arosha and Baghya, made this journey much easier, while Kithari, Rashmi, Shelomi, Narmada, and all the IS kiddos contributed greatly in making the IS Avenue one of the most active avenues. Through all these moments, IS became another little family for me.

Talking about the MR Avenue, we successfully concluded Rota Romp, and these days we are preparing for the Rota Tomorrow final awarding ceremony. The 10 teams of Rota Tomorrow were highly engaged in a very competitive competition, and it has been amazing to witness their dedication throughout the journey. Both directors, Savindi akki and Dinithi akki, were very supportive throughout the process. Handling the membership portal, member registration, and many technical responsibilities became much easier because of the support from the MR team. I also want to appreciate Gayanga, Naduni, Nimaya, Nadun, and all the kiddos from both projects for their contribution and energy.

There is also a group of amazing people I should definitely mention — Himantha ayya, Delishia akki, and the whole BOD. They played a key role in both my personal growth and in making my university life a happening one. Kithulgala water rafting, staff canteen tea times, gossiping sessions, sudden outings, funny moments, and DJ times are memories I will always cherish.

Summarizing these two years, I was able to contribute to and mentor nearly 20 impactful projects while taking different responsibilities as a PR Coordinator, Event and Logistics Coordinator, ER Coordinator, Project Coordinator, Team Leader, Mentor, and many more roles — except for a secretary position. Through every responsibility, challenge, and experience, I always tried to give my best back to the club that gave me so much.

Looking back, Rotaract became much more than just an extracurricular activity in my university life. It became a place where I discovered myself, built lifelong friendships, gained unforgettable experiences, and created countless memories. These two years shaped me in many ways, and I will forever be grateful to RACUOK for being such a meaningful chapter of my life.

Viva La Rotaract!