Akhankara phase 1 finished in style echoing the words of the title, as we, the Rotaractors of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, enlightened the path of 31 beautiful souls of the school, Ilukovita Kanishta Vidyalaya, through the last few months providing them with the much-needed knowledge to overcome the hurdle of the O/L examinations. At Ilukovita, we met a group of eager teenagers, enthusiastic to learn, yet lacking the knowledge and motivation. Through the various sessions of lessons including practical experiments and group activities, we managed not only to educate them but also to create a mindset where they could fully count on their capability for success. With the immeasurable support from our colleagues, we were able to additionally extend the lessons to History and ICT, apart from Science, Maths, and English that have been there since the beginning of “Akhankara” 7 years ago.
From the tiring and never-ending bus rides from Colombo to Puwakpitiya followed by the bumpy ride to the school, to the mouth-watering food and the heartwarming words, it has definitely been a wonderful journey. Looking back at the friendships won, bonds strengthened, the lessons learnt and the experiences gained, it has truly been worth it. The emotional speeches of the Principal, the parents, and mostly the students themselves were strong enough to bring a tear to everyone’s eyes emphasizing the fact that we had actually made an impact on their lives. They reminded us of the memories that were made while teaching in the class, playing cricket or volleyball in the ground, sometimes scolding (which happened very rarely) and most importantly laughing, which was practically what we did most of the time. That feeling is what made doing what we did all the more better and the success of the students would prove that we indeed have been great influencers on the society. The collaboration of all the 3rd year, 2nd year and 1st year students proved to be an immense strength as the final day marked the participation of 93 Rotaractors throughout the project. Let the impressions that we left on their hearts never fade as they conquer the world tomorrow and let those impressions be a helping hand for them to further lift themselves as well as other souls around them. Finally, let this be one great example that screams out loud that not all heroes wear capes.
-Written by Rtr. Sachindra Mendis, Rtr.Ayeshma Adikari and Rtr. Pasindu Rajapaksha–
Leave a Reply