51 | P a g e 3.4 INBOUND TRANSFERS No inbound transfers were done within the year. 3.5 OUTBOUND TRANSFERS Name Rotaract Club Rtr. Dinuka Perera RAC Panadura Rtr. Sachindra Mendis RAC Colombo Central 3.6 ROTARACTORS WHO HOLD DUAL MEMBERSHIP IN ROTARY AND ROTARACT Name Rotaract Club Rotary Club Rtn. Rtr. Mindula Perera Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo Rotary Club of Colombo Down Town 3.7 PAST ROTARACTORS WHO HAVE JOINED ROTARY IN THE PAST TWO YEARS Name Rotary Club Rtn. Sahan Wijesinghe Rotary Club of Colombo Down Town Rtn. Navishka Kularathne Rotary Club of Colombo Down Town Rtn. Rtr. Thanuja Jayawardhena Rotary Club of Colombo Down Town Rtn. Rtr. Mindula Perera Rotary Club of Colombo Down Town
52 | P a g e 4. Project Overview
53 | P a g e 4.1 SUMMARY OF PROJECTS Avenue Club Projects Joint Projects District Projects ▪ 19th Installation Ceremony ▪ Reminisce ▪ Lider ▪ Aurudu with RACFOSUOC ▪ Road to Rotaract ▪ Soothing Quest ▪ SLAMM ‘22 ▪ Akhankara ▪ S.A.F.E. ▪ Sevana ▪ Sneha ▪ E – Sipsara ▪ Safer Tommorow ▪ Symfiliosi ▪ Mihi Man Dige ▪ Let Them Bloom ▪ Sayuru Pawura ▪ Greenholics ▪ Yaluwa ▪ Future Challenge ▪ Innovision ▪ Creative Fusion ▪ Eloquence ▪ WiseAdvice ▪ Data Storm ▪ Lifeline ▪ Coast to Coast ▪ Ralithi ▪ FriendzAlert ▪ Inspo 7 ▪ WeSign ▪ ESCAPE ▪ Helasa ▪ Wanderlust ▪ Feliz Heartz ▪ Sath Sith ▪ With YOUth ▪ Heritage Mail
54 | P a g e 4.2 TIMELINE OF PROJECTS TIMELINE OF PROECTS FOR THE YEAR 2021-22 2021 2022 Creative Fusion Innovision Road to Rotaract Akhankara FriendzAlert Inspo7 Let Them Bloom Helasa S.A.F.E ESCAPE WeSign Coast to Coast E-sipsara Future Challenge Wanderlust 19th Installation Ceremony Safer Tomorrow Lider Reminisce Eloquence Feliz Heartz Symfiliosi
55 | P a g e Sathsith Sneha Sevana Sayuru pawura Ralithi Data Storm Mihi man dige Greenholics WiseAdvice With YOUth Aurudu with RACFOSUOC Soothing Quest Lifeline SLAMM Heritage Mail
56 | P a g e 4.3 ROTARY FOCUS AREAS COVERED THROUGH PROJECTS The percentage of each Rotary Focus Area covered through the projects done within the year is shown below. 10.53 % 13.15% 23.68% 7.81% 21.05% 2.63% 13.15%
57 | P a g e 4.4 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS COVERED THROUGH PROJECTS The percentage of each SDG covered through the projects done within the year is shown below. 18.42% 23.68% 10.53% 13.15% 10.53% 18.42% 7.89% 10.53% 18.42% 2.63% 2.63% 2.63%
58 | P a g e 4.5 CLUB SERVICE ➢ 19th Installation Ceremony ➢ Reminisce ➢ Lider ➢ Aurudu with RACFOSUOC ➢ Soothing Quest ➢ Road to Rotaract ➢ SLAMM ‘22
59 | P a g e 19th Installation Ceremony “Every good story has an end... But with every end starts a new beginning…” An 18 years revering journey was passed down to be continued, as the 19th Installation Ceremony was organized by the Club Service avenue of the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, to mark a new year, with a new president and a new board of officials. Inducting the new president, introduction of the new board of officials while remembering the events of the past year and paying gratitude to the outgoing board were the highlights of the ceremony. As an odyssey marked its end by indelible milestones, all the club members as well as the invited guests joined together to celebrate this memorable moment. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, following the health and safety guidelines, this glamorous event took place through a virtual platform, broadcasted as a Facebook Live event. The Ceremony started with the President calling the house to order. The National anthem was sung after recognizing the presence of the dignitaries and other guests. The Flag salutation, Rotaract Invocation and Four-way test was read by Rtr. Ramona Perera and followed by the Rotaract song. The welcome address was made by Rtr. Buddhima Senaratne.
60 | P a g e Secretary’s report for the year 2020-21, presented by Rtr. Damindri Herath, depicted a successful completion of a year with numerous projects done by various avenues. After the address Rtr. Adheeban Gowrishankar for the last time as the president, thanking his board of officials for going that extra mile at all times to take the club to greater heights, the collar was handed over to Rtr. Pramudi Rajamanthri. Rtr. Susara Ouchithya gave a fine introduction to the newly appointed president. Following the introduction, the newly appointed president addressed everyone introducing the theme for this year “United for Better World” and the new Board of Directors through a very captivating video. The event proceeded as the Dean of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, Senior Prof. Upul Sonnadara graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and delivered a speech. We were honored to have speeches from many dignitaries such as the president of the Rotary Club of Colombo Down Town Rtn. Lasantha Perera, the District Rotaract Representative Rtn. Rtr. PP Akhila Adhiswara, District Rotaract Chair Rtn. PHF PP Marshad Barry, and the District Youth Service Chairperson Rtn. Deshamanya Dr. Rohantha Athukorala. With the vote of thanks proposed by the secretary Rtr. Oshadi Tennakoon, the event came to a conclusion. The newly appointed President terminated the 19th Installation Ceremony, as the members let out happy sighs for pulling off a successful event, gaining nearly 1K views for the Facebook Live broadcast, amidst multiple challenges setting light for a new beginning. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Nipuni Wanniarachchi, Rtr. Buddhima Senarathne Duration – 29th of August to 16th of October, 2021
61 | P a g e Reminisce “Moments always blossom more beautifully in memories.” The best moments in life don’t come around all the time, but once they do, we treasure them, by making the best memories. One such day for the Rotaractors of the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo is the Charter Day of the club, falling on 7th of December every year. This year, to celebrate the 15th Charter Day, Reminisce 2.0 was organized by the Club Service Avenue. Thinking outside the box, we decided to celebrate this day, commemorating our club’s main goal and purpose, as we united to serve the community, and achieving the Goal 02 - Zero Hunger and Goal 17 – Partnerships to achieve the goals, while focusing on Community and Economic Development. The initiative was carried out in two phases, and the first phase, executed on the very Charter Day, was a charity event, where the club members got together to distribute packs of lunch packets and K95 face masks for underprivileged people on the street, and underpaid street and site workers, in the areas of Borella, Gall Face and Bellanwila. The Second Phase of Reminisce 2.0 - A night to remember, was held on 14th of December at the Osmo Fitness Members’ Lounge. It was a get together for members of all years of the club to reunite by getting to know
62 | P a g e the current, new, and past members as disparities that had been built due to virtual platforms will be eliminated. The main goal of building fellowship among past and current members was achieved through this initiative. The event was also graced by the presence of several members from the District Committee, including the DRRE Ahamed Hussain. With the highlight of giving away of the appointment letters to the current Board of Directors by the current president Pramudi Rajamanthri, and the service letters to the past Board of Directors by IPP Adheeban Gowrishankar, the night was followed by speeches from the past Rotaractors and the invited guests. We were also able to obtain a sponsorship from Redbull, as they joined us as the energizing partner for the event. All in all, Reminisce 2.0 concluded on a high note, leaving an indelible mark for the 15th Charter Day, while building connections while achieving another milestone for our club. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Dewmini Jayalath, Rtr. Nipuni Wanniarachchi, Rtr. Buddhima Senarathe Duration –17th of November to 14th of December, 2021 Secondary Avenue – Anti-Discrimination and Co-existence, COVID-19 Prevention
63 | P a g e Lider “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” When the current board of officials for the new Rotaract year 2021-22 was appointed, the opportunities they had to get to know each other personally and make friendships were least if not nil due to the then pandemic situation. In an attempt to overcome this issue, via the Club Service Avenue, Lider was initiated, because as the leaders of the club moved forward, a better understanding and a friendship among them was essential to have a successful year while enjoying the teamwork and fulfilling their duties. Lider took place in the CHE Adventure park. CHE, which stands for Collaborative Human Empowerment, is an outbound training provider located in Hanwella. They carry out a series of activities including rifle shooting, archery, water rafting and paintball to their participants. These activities are focused on building team spirit, leadership skills, taking challenges, thinking out of the box, and facing risks. To the members who had been away from physical
64 | P a g e activities for nearly two years, this served as an opportunity to learn leadership skills, to work as a team and to collect a whole new bunch of experiences. With the help of various activities, the team had an enjoyable and memorable day, as they got to know each other personally and developed lifelong friendships. It was evident during the projects conducted thereafter, that the bond, friendship, leadership qualities as well as the teamwork within the board had strengthened significantly proving that together we can achieve greater milestones. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Dewmini Jayalath, Rtr. Nipuni Wanniarachchi, Rtr. Buddhima Senarathne Duration – 2 nd of November to 20th of December, 2021
65 | P a g e Aurudu with RACFOSUOC “Celebrate endings - For they precede new beginnings.” The beginning of the new Sinhala and Tamil year was signified as the sun moved from the House of Pisces to the House of Aries in the celestial sphere representing the dawn of prosperity to the whole nation. Realizing the need to create an opportunity for our members to engage in this fun filled aurudu season along with their peers, the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo initiated “Aurudu with RACFOSUOC” in order to celebrate this month of togetherness and prosperity. “Aurudu with RACFOSUOC'' is a club service initiative done with the aim of building up fellowship among members while involving in fun and joyous aurudu games, which was also a much needed break from the continuous exam stress that had been draining everyone out for the past three months. It was an “Aurudu Uthsawaya '' merged with the first physical General Meeting after two years. The initiative took place at the university premises on the 25th of April, as all active members of the club gathered dressed up in aurudu attire adding more colour to the whole event.
66 | P a g e As the current situation of the country also required the nation to unite as one during this time of crisis putting aside all differences in race or religion, we at RACFOSUOC joined hands to celebrate sinhala and tamil new year together as one youth movement. Further, to the members who had only been to online lectures for one whole year, this served as an opportunity to make memories within the university premises while collecting a whole new bunch of unforgettable experiences. The highlight of the day was the “Aurudu Mese”' which was the large spread of aurudu sweets such as kokis, laddu in addition to milk rice and lunu miris that made the day a whole lot better. There was no doubt, the food along with the various modernized aurudu games made the day enjoyable and memorable for all our members. Lifelong friendships were made as everyone got to know each other personally, and adding to our Rotaract diaries, another episode of bringing out the true spirit of Rotaract while celebrating the dawn of the Sinhala and Tamil new year. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Dihan Lakthila, Rtr. Hasali Dinara Duration – 3 rd of April to 25th of April, 2022 Secondary Avenues – Peace and Reconciliation
67 | P a g e Soothing Quest “To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles” ~ Marie Davis ~ As the past two years were mostly spent in the virtual platform, the members of the club did not get ample opportunities to meet each other or Rotaractors outside of our club, leisurely and have a carefree time. Lacking both a batch trip and a club trip, the 1st and 2nd years of the club were impatient to go on a trip with their batch mates. After going through 3 months of hectic exams and practical sessions, the members of the club were in a dire need of something soothing to relax their mind and relieve their academic stress. And what else would be more soothing than a walk to nature in order to witness miracles? Soothing quest was thus initiated by the Club Service avenue of the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo in collaboration with the Rotaract Club of Katugastota Region, focusing on health and mental wellbeing of the members, while doing our part to serve the community by preserving the beauty of mother nature. Therefore, we planned to hold a hike to the Hanthana Mountain Range during which we engaged in cleaning the pathway to the top of the mountain by collecting all plastic materials and other garbage strewn along those trails of undying beauty. As this was done with the intention of giving our members a quality time
68 | P a g e in addition to the environmental service aspect, the Club Service Avenue took the charge of Soothing Quest. The journey took place on the 29th of April, starting from the Racecourse at 4.00 in the morning. After a 4 hour ride to Peradeniya, our members teamed up with the members of the Rotaract Club of Katugasthota Region, where they gave us a brief introduction to the proceedings of the day, safety measures that should be taken during the hike, and measures that needs to be taken to clean the surrounding. Their knowledge and experience about the area helped us a lot to have a well-planned safe journey. The hike started around 9.00 am and was completed within about 6 hours. During the hike, the team was able to enjoy the wilderness, reach the peak and admire the view, spreading across the Kandy region, over the forests, under the canopy of clouds. Despite the heavy rainfall, which occurred while descending, we managed to fill our garbage bags with plastics, polythene strewn around and leave a cleaner site for flora, fauna, and for the fellow hikers. After having lunch, we bid farewell to the members of the Rotaract Club of Katugastota Region, while holding gratitude for the hospitality given us, happiness for being able to complete a project together and carrying memories of an unforgettable journey. This project served as a reminder for the members to enjoy nature while protecting it, to explore the unseen destinations and it helped the members to meet Rotaractors outside our club, and strengthen the friendships they had with fellow Rotaractors. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Nipuni Wanniarachchi, Rtr. Dihan Lakthila Duration – 20th of March to 29th of April, 2022 Secondary Avenues –Environment, Wildlife and animal welfare
69 | P a g e Road to Rotaract “Have a heart, lend a hand, stand out and make a difference.” As an institute-based club, recruitment of a new batch of members to the club occurs each year and making them aware about the true spirit of Rotaract including our club is essential as the new academic year begins. This necessity was fulfilled by the long-running signature Club Service initiative carried out by the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo; “Road to Rotaract”, which aims primarily at Membership Development and Retention. Hence, it is generally conducted as the official orientation program of the club. This is the ideal platform for the Rotaractors to educate the fresh undergraduates on the Rotaract movement and build a positive image of the service and development aspect of it. The project entails a major fellowship element where undergraduates are given the chance to engage in fun and energizing activities with their peers. The project was scaled up to 03 phases as follows; Phase 1 - FOSxplore As the new batch for the academic year 2022/23 was having their orientation programs online, they were deprived of the on-site university experience, exploring every nook and corner of it. Making this an opportunity for us to give the fresh undergraduates a taste of what university life really is, a science-themed virtual treasure hunt was organized featuring places and things within the faculty premises of the university.
70 | P a g e Building life-long friendships began here. Teams for the hunt consisted of members from all the years, which also gave them the possibility of bonding with their fellow batchmates as well as their seniors. The seniors shared their university experience with freshers, while recalling nostalgic moments they had in Rotaract. This phase was capable of attracting many undergraduates to join the club, which was one of our primary objectives as they realized the opportunities and memories Rotaract would bring into their lives. Phase 2 - Get to Know Rotaract Followed by the virtual orientation program, the incoming board was given the opportunity to educate the newcomers as they step into the world of Rotaract. A captivating set of flyers were shared among the fresh undergraduates, which comprised details of the Rotaract movement, RID 3220, service avenues of our club, club history, signature initiatives and many more. It laid the foundation not only towards the development of membership but rather the development of an active, well informed membership. It is quite fair to say ‘Get to know Rotaract’ was a small-scale phase with a high impact. Hall of Fame The final and the much-awaited phase was an ‘eve of appreciation’ to all the hard working, dedicated and passionate Rotaractors of our club throughout the past year focused on Member
71 | P a g e recognition. Bringing forward the tradition of appreciating and giving due recognition for the hard work put forth by the members for the successful completion of yet another remarkable journey the award ceremony, “Hall of Fame” was hosted for the second consecutive year in the most prestigious way. Apart from our own members getting appreciated for being active, passionate, outgoing, versatile Rotaractors, being creative and enthusiastic content creators and bloggers, highlights of the day included a video of all the projects that were done during the whole year. It made the members reminisce all the memories they had with Rotaract and to appreciate the friendships they built while working on the projects. The evening definitely took us on a journey through the memory lane, bringing out a handful of indelible Rotaract memories of the past year. Apart from the official awards presented to the members, an entertainment item was hosted by the three Vice Presidents of the club, as a set of unofficial awards were presented cracking inside jokes and reliving the good memories experienced by the members throughout the journey. Moreover, the surprises set out by the incoming board of directors succeeded in energizing and refreshing the audience with a few soothing melodies and some smooth moves. Following the entertainment items, the dance floor was opened as the latter part of the evening was filled with music, where everyone danced their hearts out and had fun. Covering the aspects of membership development, retention and recognition the final project for the year 2021-22, ‘Road to Rotaract’ concluded on an absolutely high note on the 5th of June 2022 as it served the sole purpose of bringing Rotaractors and non-Rotaractors to a single platform to share, celebrate and enjoy each other’s company, achievements and joy. Project chairpersons – Rtr. Nipuni Wanniarachchi, Rtr. Sajani Perera Duration – 21st of April to 5th of June, 2022
72 | P a g e SLAMM ‘22 SLAMM is a continued tradition shared by the five Rotaract Clubs of the University of Colombo. The title of the project stands for Science, Law, Arts, Management and Medicine which are the five faculties of the University of Colombo. SLAMM is a scavenger hunt conducted physically within the university premises and chaired by the President-Elects and Secretary-Elects prior to the start of their term. For the first time in two years SLAMM’22 was held onsite again with a group of very enthusiastic participants. This initiative has been continuously delivering an exciting and enthralling forum for Rotaractors within the University of Colombo to extend their fellowship beyond their own faculty. This year’s SLAMM storyline was developed in a way in which the participants were escorted around the university premises all the while engaging in the fierce competition. The teams had to pass through an array of games and riddles to reach the end of the scavenger hunt. The storyline of this scavenger hunt draws inspiration from the popular Spanish TV series “Money heist”. The team coordinators who were also introduced as “The Professors'' were given an
73 | P a g e envelope that contained a list of participants. One person from each team was initially picked by the organizers and those people were advised to find the list with their name on it and then find the rest of their group by calling out for them. And after assembling the full team they were directed to take a group picture with the official SLAMM’22 banner. It was a race against time, meaning that whoever finished first proceeded to the game from the science faculty first. The final clue of the games at the science faculty directed them to the Arts Faculty. Walking through the maze at the Arts Faculty, the participants were able to find out the name of the next destination they had to reach, the Faculty of Management and Finance. Through this the participants received the necessary hints that led them towards the 4th game organized by the Faculty of Medicine. The answer to the final riddle of this directed them to the ‘ahas palama’ in the Faculty of Law. Once the teams successfully found the final clue, they were provided access to enter into the final venue. Finally, the team that solved all three riddles at the final venue cracked the code and got their hands on the newly printed money - emerging as victors of THE PERFECT HEIST! With the participation of over 70 contestants including members from the incoming District Committee (2022/2023) and the members of the executive committee from the organizing clubs, a gripping storyline to have the contestants glued to the scavenger hunt till the last minute, 6 stimulating and interactive games facilitated by each faculty, and the immense support and innovation given by the organizing committee the project was concluded successfully. Team EXCO emerged as the winning team of the competition. The project is a club service initiative jointly organized by the five Rotaract Clubs of the University, and each year the initiative evolves to become more innovative, interactive and engaging. The nature of the project allowed members of the clubs as well as prospective
74 | P a g e members to join the series of games, and experience the fellowship that is extended to them solely through a platform such as Rotaract. Being the only clubs formed within a University based on separate faculties, SLAMM gave the members and participants an opportunity to engage with one another, build friendships and be a part of a physical fellowship event during an extremely strenuous time in the State. The participants were able to turn this initiative into a getaway from the heavily academic and arduous life of a university student. The project received immensely positive feedback from all the participants, all of whom emphasized on the attention-to-detail in each of the games, the exciting storyline and most importantly the fellowship element and friendships that emerged among the contestants. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Dihan Lakthila , Rtr. Udari de Silva Duration – 3 rd of May to 26th of May, 2022
75 | P a g e 4.6 COMMUNITY SERVICE ➢ Akhankara ➢ Sevana ➢ Symfiliosi ➢ E - Sipsara ➢ Safer Tomorrow ➢ Let Them Bloom ➢ S.A.F.E ➢ Sneha ➢ Mihi Man Dige ➢ Greenholics ➢ Sayuru Pawura ➢ Yaluwa
76 | P a g e Akhankara “Education is for improving the lives of others and leaving our community and world better than you found it.” We, at the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo as privileged undergraduates receiving higher education at one of the well-reputed Universities in the country having realized the need to create equal opportunities in the field of education, initiated Project “Akhankara” to uplift the standard of the community through sustainability. Standing true to its meaning ‘Aspirations’, the project was conducted for the 9th consecutive year by the participation of over 100 passionate Rotaractors, with the aim of educating the younger generation of Sri Lanka to excel with flying colours in their Ordinary Level Examination. The entire initiative ensured inclusive and equitable primary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes, enhancement in vocational skills and equal access to education eliminating disparities in gender or socio-economic background while developing infrastructure facilities required for the education of the underprivileged communities. Furthermore, building a substantial increased number of youth with literacy and numeracy who are capable of employment and entrepreneurship. Thus, project ‘Akhankara’ aligned well with
77 | P a g e the Rotary Focus Area of Basic Education and Literacy and the SDG Goal 04 - Quality Education. This project was carried out in three main phases all of which were conducted to the students of the Illukovita Kanishta Vidyalaya. The first phase was carried out to take the students along the O/Level syllabus and equip them with the needed knowledge for them to build their self-confidence for the upcoming exams. However due to the Covid situation that prevailed in the country at that time, the teaching process was conducted via zoom initially, where all the required infrastructure was provided by the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha. Later these sessions were held every weekend at the school premises. Additionally, with the involvement of a couple of the past Rotaractors we were able to initiate a scholarship program to aid students who are financially hindered yet deserving and with the recommendation of the Principal, these scholarships were awarded to 2 deserving students. Following the conclusion of the first phase on the 2nd of February, the second phase “WeGuide” was initiated with the intention of preparing the students to sit for the O/Level exam papers. The team was able to come up with 15 model examination papers for the subjects of Mathematics, English and Science which included questions from past papers. Meanwhile, two volunteers conducted seminars on Commerce and ICT, during which they briefly covered up
78 | P a g e all the required topics under the two subjects. Following this, a mock exam was also held in the school premises. The concept for the third phase was suggested to us by one of our volunteers who did see more potential within the dilapidated main hall in which most of the learning activities took place. Hence with the unanimous approval of the Principal we prepared everything we needed for this process. On the day of the initiative, we were greeted by the eager parents of the students who were ready to join hands with us to commence the renovation process. With the extra help we were able to apply a fresh coat of paint to every desk, chair and wall in the main hall and also to install new and improved lighting fixtures which illuminated the hall like never before. Additionally, some more building equipments were donated to the school with the help of the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha, which included 2 bags of cement to complete the floor of the newly built classrooms envisioned by the Principal. At the completion of the project, we were awarded a token of appreciation from the Principal for the services our club has offered to the school for 9 long years. And with the promise of offering more novel services to the school, we departed with memories for a life-time and intentions of returning to reiterate the process for the completion of a decade. All in all, the project ‘Akhankara’ which brought mammoth impact to the society was concluded after 10 months of sheer determination, resilience and passion of wonderful Rotaractors to build an educated youth proving that “Education is for improving the lives of others and leaving our community and world better than you found it”. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Janitha Dissanayake, Rtr. Navodya Laksarani, Rtr. Azam Hassan Duration – 7 th of July, 2021 to 29th of May, 2022 Secondary Avenues – Marginalized Communities, Education and Literacy, AntiDiscriminationand Co-Existence, COVID-19 Prevention
79 | P a g e Sevana “Sometimes real superheroes live in the hearts of little children fighting big battles.” From a very young age, children with differently-abled regardless of the disorder have been looked at differently which has had an added effect on their mental wellbeing as well. Sevana Special school is one such strong institution that provides physical as well as moral support to the differently-abled, talented youngsters and their adults. These young souls at Sevana special school are also a major part of our future, and that is why we realized the need to help the authorities at the special school to help them in the little ways we can. In an attempt to make a bunch of differently abled kids feel special and make their day, we at Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science conducted Project ‘Sevana’ for the 14th consecutive year at the Sevana Special School premises in Kotte. It is one of the signature projects initiated under the Community Service avenue, that reserves a very important place not just within the club but also within our hearts. In simple words, it is known as a ‘feel-good’ project which provides great satisfaction to the participants and also much joy to the children with special needs who are taken out on a day out with us. However, due to the pandemic situation of the country we were informed from the Home that interactions with the children had to be limited. Saddened yet not discouraged the directors seeked for a way to aid the students in a way that would grant no actual contact with them yet
80 | P a g e a meaningful and of significance to the current times. As the service was done by the club for almost 15 years to uplift the mental well-being of these children, an alternative way or rather a more indirect way of achieving the goal was focused on. This gave birth to, a voluntary donation of essential dry rations, which are scarce due to the prevailing conditions to the Home. Since having proper and clean meals is of utmost importance during these uncertain times, especially for those who are impaired, we rose to the occasion in fulfilling the request made from us. During a time when everyone was having a hard time fulfilling their needs, we were able to help the children at the Home with their basic needs. Reducing the hunger of the kids while bringing smiles of joy to their faces and lighting up their worlds even for a day. The project was executed focusing on the SDGs Goal 3 – Good Health and well-being and Goal 10 – Reduced Inequalities as it was able to improve the mental as well as the physical health of the differently abled children at the home while making them feel loved and important yet nonchalant to their differences. The rotary focus areas of Disease Prevention and Treatment and Maternal and Child Health were also covered by the impact the project made on the lives of the children at the Home. The smiles that were brought to the faces made our day and brought us much joy and satisfaction despite the restrictions and limitations. Even though conducted in a reduced scale, project ‘Sevana’ yet again, was able to provide that feel-good feeling we were eagerly craving for throughout the strenuous pandemic era where everyone was bound to be stuck at home. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Bimsara Perera, Rtr. Janitha Dissanayake Duration – 23rd of December, 2021 to 31st of May, 2022 Secondary Avenues – Marginalized Communities
81 | P a g e Symfiliosi ‘In April we look forward to the sweets of Avurudu. In Ramadan, we fast from dawn to dusk and share generously. We take joy in colors and lights in Deepavali and in December, Christmas vibes make the holidays so much more special. We are Sri Lankans and that is our privilege’ Sri Lanka is a multi-religious and multi-cultural society thus it is a land full of culture that is vibrant as well as colorful. This diversity creates a lot of potential and no season passes without a celebration of wonder and harmony in this country. Even though this diversity is one of the greatest potentials that our country has, in certain cases it creates friction among different groups, under the influence of misconceptions. Therefore, it is essential to build bridges of peace and harmony among different religious groups, to create synergy for peace and reconciliation. Further, there is a pressing need to impart the values of core religious teachings among the youth to avert any potential conflicts. Thus, intending to make the young groups realize the beauty of diversity and also the potential of it for peace, harmony, and the development of the country, the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo launched project Symfiliosi.
82 | P a g e In Sri Lanka, there are four main religions, namely Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islamism. Thus, the project was carried out in four phases, focusing on the unique aspects of each religion while serving the community. In addition, it was made sure every phase bore the concepts of sustainability. The first phase was the Buddhist event, during which we visited Thekkawatta Sri Sunethrarama temple where we renovated and cleaned the dhamma school premises of the temple. The whole building was washed and cleaned, in addition to color washing all tables and chairs utilized by the students at the dhamma school. As the day’s work ended, we were able to bring beautiful smiles on to the faces of the priests at the temple as well the young children at the dhamma school, reward ourselves with utmost gratification. Carrying on our aim to serve the community in every way we can, the second phase was executed. It was the Hindu event that took place at Muttumari Amman Kovil of Raigam Wattha, during which stationary items were distributed among students associated with the Dhamma school.
83 | P a g e The third phase was brought to light with the aim of serving the christian community during which we visited the Sahana Medura Orphanage, Ja-Ela which is handled by the St. Josephs Church, Ja-Ela, to construct a herbal garden to obtain ayurvedic medicine for the physically and mentally diseased orphans at the orphanage. The phase was successfully completed as we were able to find and plant more than 100 varieties of extremely rare and valuable herbal plants that could be used in treating many illnesses. As we reached the end of the project, the final and the fourth phase was conducted focusing on the muslim community. A book donation was conducted at the Almuslimaath - Sri Lamkan association for Muslim girls and women. Thus, we were able to be of service to four small communities of humans with different needs which made us realize the need to unite as one nation. Despite all differences in race, religion, language or culture, the project brought to limelight the fact that we were all humans with similar needs, yet battling different issues and struggling to survive. And as one human race of one nation, it is our duty to help those who we can to survive through the hardships by looking beyond any racial or religious disparities. Project Chairpersons – Omethya Illeperuma, Bihara Ganegoda, Yowan Dias Duration – 30th of November 2021 to 31st of May 2022 Secondary Avenues – Marginalized Communities, Education and Literacy, AntiDiscrimination and Co-Existence, Peace and Reconciliation, Environment, Wildlife and Animal Welfare
84 | P a g e E –Sipsara “Education is all a matter of building bridges.” In the modern world, where a child is born has an enormous influence over their education. Even within nations, there tends to be yawning gaps between the urban and rural education outcomes. In perceiving the dire need for equal opportunities for every child in the country, especially in the field of Information Technology for education, the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Colombo DownTown, Interact Club of Asoka Vidyalaya and Interact Club of Mahanama College came forth with the novel initiative “E- Sipsara” to bridge the gaps in education by providing an opportunity for them to access technology. This was also initiated as the rotary family project for the year 2021-22. The primary objective of the project was to enhance learning environments for all by ensuring inclusive and equal access to quality education, by eliminating disparities in gender or socioeconomic background. In order to achieve our objective, the plan was to build an elibrary in a selected school with minimum facilities in a rural or suburban area. Since the project was focused on improving the wellbeing of an underprivileged community of children in a rural area, it was conducted under the community service avenue while
85 | P a g e accomplishing two SDGs. Namely; Goal 4 - Quality Education by ensuring equal access to children of all socioeconomic backgrounds to pre-primary education by developing inclusive and sustainable schools in an attempt to eliminate any inequality and discrimination between the rural and urban communities which also fulfilled the Goal 10 - Reduce Inequality. After much research and several field visits to several schools, Gallandala Kanishta Vidyalaya located in Gallandala, Panangala belonging to the educational division Thawalama was chosen. The school is led by its principal Mrs. S. W. Y. Priyangani along with 18 teachers providing education and necessary guidance to 122 students from grade 1 to grade 11, in order to excel in their studies. The school has been able to constantly showcase excellent results in the G. C. E. Ordinary Level exams with a 100% pass rate in almost all subjects even functioning under minimum facilities. It was a very timely initiative as the modern world is currently deviating from the usual means of education, as physical books are replaced by computers and other electronic devices. Therefore, the requirement of electronic devices in order to access the modern education system is vital. In addition, this will provide less-privileged students an equal opportunity to obtain information and communication technology skills while improving quality technical education. The project happened at the Gallandala Kanishta Vidyalaya with participation of members from all the clubs in our Rotary family as we donated 500+ books to expand the existing library and two desktop computers to be utilized for study purposes in Information and Communication Technology as well as other educational purposes. Moreover, a google drive with a collection of 200+ pdfs of books belonging to different categories uploaded was arranged for the students to get access to the E-library facility. Moreover, a session was conducted by one of our very own Rotaractors, Rtr Sithira Abeywardhena focused on the topic “Importance of Technology and Education” and
86 | P a g e additionally a few thoughts on how to choose one’s career and be successful in life was also shared with the children. The day’s events ended with another heartwarming encounter as we gifted the small ones stationary packs, which brought radiant smiles on to their faces. The happiness was evident not only in the faces of the students but also in the teachers and parents who were present at the school on the day as they served us with sweet treats and tea in addition to the loving and grateful words appreciating our efforts with brilliant smiles on their faces. “We rise by lifting others” would summarize the day’s proceedings as we left the school with hearts filled with happiness and satisfaction. Not only to the most grateful and radiant young souls but also to all who volunteered, the project provided immense gratification and pride of being a Rotaractor in the best way possible. We as a team were able to take a small step towards eradicating inequality by providing access to equal opportunities for the modern education to the children of an underprivileged community and bridge the gap between rural and urban communities, proving once again that above all else Rotaract is a movement of humanity. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Oshadi Tennakoon, Rtr. Pramudi Rajamanthri Duration – 2 nd of October, 2021 to 7th of January 2022 Secondary Avenues – Marginalized Communities, Education and Literacy
87 | P a g e Safer Tomorrow “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” As the new academic year began, all of us were reminded of the sacrifices that were made during the past two years due to an unavoidable pandemic that affected the whole world. But overcoming the fear and the doubt, learning to adapt to the current situation, the schools reopened as the country realized that the basic education given at the school was the initial step in grooming the country’s young generation to succeed in life and later on to serve the country as well. In an attempt to provide our maximum contribution for this cause, project “Safer Tomorrow” was implemented by the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, under the “Back To School” Initiative by the R.I District 3220 focusing on COVID-19 Prevention. For this project the school Deepangoda Kanishta Vidyalaya located at Brahmanagama, Pannipitiya was selected by us out of the list of schools which were provided to the clubs of the district by UNICEF and sanitary items and COVID - 19 virus prevention kits were donated to all the students who are studying at the selected school.
88 | P a g e The project was carried out focusing on the Rotary Focus area Disease Prevention and Treatment and the Sustainable Development Goal Good Health and Welbeing. The sub goals of fighting communicable diseases and achieving universal health coverage was achieved. Deepangoda Kanishta Vidyalaya is a suburban school located in Pannipitiya, Colombo, where nearly 145 students are completing their education upto grade 11. As with the ongoing pandemic, face masks, sanitizers, disinfectants, Infrared Thermometer and such sanitary items along with cleaning agents, and other cleaning equipment have become major needs for students as well as schools to function during this pandemic situation. Considering this timely need, under the back to school initiative, with the guidance of the district, we reached out to the Deepangoda Kanishta Vidyalaya and checked on their basic needs at the moment and fixed an estimated budget to donate all the items which were mentioned as requirements. According to the budget we reached out for sponsors and donors and we managed to obtain funds from three personal donors for the donation drive. By using the donation money and club funds, all necessary items were purchased and were donated to the school on 26th of January 2022. The project was concluded on a high note on the 26th of January, with the donation of the purchased items to the principal of the school to be distributed among the children obtaining their education at the school to create a “Safer Tomorrow” for the young generations of the country. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Oshadi Tennakoon, Rtr. Pramudi Rajamanthri Duration – 1 st of January to 26th of January, 2022 Secondary Avenues – Marginalized Communinity, COVID-19 Prevention
89 | P a g e Let Them Bloom “The true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children”. – Nelson Mandela In the present-day child abuse has turn into a recurring and crucial phenomenon, which due to the cultural and social pressure factors, is addressed very rarely by the victims and witnesses alike. And that’s why we, the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, and the Rotaract Club of SLIIT got together, to address this extremely sensitive topic in a way by which we can ensure an impact on our society through the project Let Them Bloom. The project focused mainly on taking a stand against abuse and ensuring the peaceful and wholesome upbringing of children of our country. The project embarked under the avenue of Community Service and the secondary avenues of marginalized communities, peace & reconciliation and anti-discrimination & co-existence. It was concluded in 3 main phases as follows to broaden the range of impact on the society; A seminar to raise awareness among school children in an underprivileged sub-urban school. A virtual webinar to raise awareness targeting a large audience of all social categories “Stories from the Vault”: a series of short stories, based on the real-life incidents shared anonymously by survivors and eye-witnesses of child abuse.
90 | P a g e The project was geared to a very successful start by the seminar at Janajaya Maha Vidyalaya, Moratuwa along with members of the organising committee of both clubs. The seminar was conducted by Mrs Kumudini Jayathilake of the National Dangerous Drug Control Board and spanned two hours while educating the 65 students of ages 12-16 on the various ways abusers use to approach and prey on unsuspecting children and the tactics to be used in uncomfortable situations which students would face in their day to day lives. Questions were raised during the session by some of the students who attended which made the session very much interactive as well as impactful. The final session of the day was no doubt the most significant as the students were divided into 5 groups according to their age groups and were given the task of putting together a short yet informative drama and presenting it in front of the speaker and all the attendees using the information and knowledge gained on child abuse. The true impact we had made on the lives of these students was clearly shown through these original and inventive dramas. Following the seminar, a short 2 min video was put together by the team and posted on the project instagram page as well as all social media platforms of both the clubs. The second phase of project Let Them Bloom, our online webinar was graced by the presence of 4 honourable speakers highly knowledgeable on the topic of child maltreatment and abuse. Dr. Lakshika Liyanage, a senior lecturer at the Department of Social Sciences at General Sir John Kotelawala Defense University stressed on the importance of spreading awareness on sexual abuse, the psychological impact it has on victims and the various ways to prevent it from occuring. Her eye-opening experiences as a survivor of child abuse, trauma that it imprinted on her life and how she overcame it to reach great heights was shared by Ms Kumuduni David, survivor and a social advocate, who also added the emotional touch to the evening by her message to any victim, survivor of abuse who is scared to voice their issues. The audience was
91 | P a g e enlightened about the legal framework against the perpetrators and the extent of punishment against abusers available in Sri Lanka at the moment by Ms Sajeewani Abeykoon, Director (Law Enforcement) at the National Child Protection Authority. Mrs. Hazel Rajiah, representing the Emerge Lanka Foundation was keen on touching the aspect of mental health of victims & survivors and the numerous methods including various organizations, hotlines, government personnel/ authorities that are available for reaching out for help. Together with these four knowledgeable figures the evening was concluded with greater success. After successfully concluding our online webinar, the third phase was initiated with the name “Stories from the Vault”. Via a google form shared across all social media platforms months prior to Phase 3, the members of both clubs as well as the general public were asked to share any real-life experiences both as victims/survivors and witnesses of child ill-treatment and abuse anonymously with a promise of safeguarding their identity and privacy. These heart touching yet somewhat gruesome experiences received, were then penned into short stories while preserving the originality of the statements reported by the victim/witness by the editors. Thus, came to life phase 3 of the project, "Stories from Vault", attracting much attention. Amidst all these major phases, the short videos and awareness posts series was successful in bringing hope, power, facts, statistics and essential knowledge on our topic all to one table. Thus, project “Let Them Bloom” inspired many children below the age of 18 whether they are a victim, survivor, witness or potential victim to become a fighter. To fight one’s own rights, safety and to take their right place in Sri Lanka’s society. Project Chairperson – Rtr. Tharini Cabraal Duration – 1 st of September, 2021 to 30th of April, 2022 Secondary Avenues – Marginalized Communities, Anti-Discrimination and CoExistence, Peace and Reconciliation
92 | P a g e S.A.F.E “Each and every animal on earth has as much right to be here as you and me” With a rather heavy population density, the overbearing advancements that have been coupled with greed and nourishment due to free rein have left permanent scars on our planet. One such scar that is deepening day by day, is the loss of habitat zones, and the ensuing issue: the endangerment and extinction of species. As nations and organizations across the globe unite to address this dire issue, as responsible undergraduates, the members of the Rotaract Club of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo (RACFOSUOC), came up with an initiative from the Environmental Services avenue; “Project S.A.F.E. (Save Animals from Endangerment)”, as the name of the project itself depicts, the aim of the initiative being the need to conserve the rare endangered species. The first week of the month of October is known as the Animal Welfare Week. World Animal Day falls on the 4th of October. The project was an endeavor to unfold the value of this Week and the Day by bringing light about every nook and cranny regarding the endangered animal species conservation in Sri Lanka. The initiative was carried out under several phases which included ; ▪ A panel discussion ▪ A blog article series, and ▪ An awareness campaign As the first phase of the project, S.A.F.E. a panel discussion was conducted in collaboration with the Base for Enthusiasts of Environmental Science and Zoology (BEEZ) from the department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo and it aimed to broaden the understanding by expressing the need and urgency to protect the faunal species under the guidance of professionals in the field. It was an eye-opener,
93 | P a g e as the misconceptions regarding the conservation were addressed while inspiring the young enthusiasts to ensure the protection of species from destruction. For the panel discussion, the official media unit of the Faculty of Science, FOS Media acted as the exclusive media partner, with Kulu Safaris Sri Lanka taking the role of the official media partner. Furthermore, NOWYOUSEEME Photography engaged as the digital media partner and Chokolaate sponsored the event as the printed/youth media partner. Vidya Jyothi, Emeritus Professor Sarath W. Kotagama took the reins as the first panellist and provided the audience with a perspective-changing account on the conservation of endangered animal species, and our misconceptions on it. The second panellist, Professor Sampath Senevirathna gave the audience a rather informative vision into how species are classified into population categories (specifying what it means to be “endangered”), providing an eye into the role society and awareness plays in the conservation of species and their habitats. The third panellist, Professor Turney Pradeep then took the audience’s attention towards marine ecosystems and marine conservation activities. Describing the global need to take action towards maintaining ocean ecosystems. The final panellist, renowned actress, and Earth Day Network Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Ms. Michelle Dilhara led the audience through her experiences to inspire and motivate the audience, as well as to instil a sense of social responsibility within them. The session was live-streamed via the club’s official Facebook page, enabling more enthusiasts the opportunity to witness the discussion. The audience was given the chance to clarify their burning questions via the Questions and Answers session. With that, the panel discussion on endangered animal conservation came to close.
94 | P a g e As students of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, the second phase of the project, the blog article series; Bestiary Tales was initiated to bestow the knowledge of conservation of the endangered animal species with the participation of 13 Rotaractors volunteering as writers and finally the articles were launched on the club’s official website accompanied by a series of infographic posts that premiered. The blog articles unveiled the threats toward endangered animals and the means for their conservation. Five infographic posts were illustrated compiling the anatomy and special features of five selected endangered animal species to educate and give a synopsis targeting the scientific community. An overall participation of 230+ on Zoom, a 2K reach on the Facebook live stream of the panel discussion 200+ views of the YouTube playlist, a participation of 100+ participants in the Instagram challenge with maximum reach on our official instagram page with a total reach of 730 served as proof that the influence of this project reached well beyond just the bounds of the RACFOSUOC community. In the Blog phase, we reached out to more involved communities, and gained a total number of 400+ readers. All in all, SAFE was able to reach different communities and convey the importance of protecting endangered species and creating an environment which is favourable for each and every animal on earth including humans, while contributing to save at least a few species from going towards extinction. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Binuri Wickramasinghe, Rtr. Ishara Nimeshi Duration – 29th of August to 2nd of November, 2021 Secondary Avenues – Environment, Wildlife and Animal Welfare
95 | P a g e Sneha “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” During these uncertain and difficult times, there are so many young souls fighting for their lives. Recently, a few members of the Rotaract Club of the Faculty of Science met with one such bright flower in a constant battle to survive with one of the worst monsters ever known. In an attempt to lessen their struggle for survival and make life a living masterpiece for those little souls as well, Project “Sneha” was initiated by the community service avenue of the club. Project “Sneha” is an initiative by the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo done with the objective of making one young soul live a better life. The little boy we met is M. G. Senura Denuwan Senevirathne who just turned 11 years old. It broke everyone’s heart to know that he was in need of a severe bone marrow transplant which would cost him seven lakhs. We decided to be of some help by collecting monetary donations from all across the country in aid of this bone marrow transplant operation of the young and vibrant soul. The project was thereby conducted under the Maternal and Child Health Rotary focus area covering the SDG Goal 03 - Good health and Well-being. Through a direct contact of Senura’s father, Mr. Chaminda Seneviratne, we managed to gather all the necessary information about the current health situation of little Senura and the financial needs of the parents. Flyers were shared in order to spread the word among generous donors as much as possible.
96 | P a g e The donations kept flowing in as we circulated the flyers till December and concluded accepting all donations by the 31st of December. All bank deposit slips we received and the money deposited to the club bank account were finalized by January, which added up to 50,000/= LKR. The finalized donation was transferred to the bank account of Senura’s mother along with our wishes for a very happy new year. Hoping Senura a speedy recovery and good health the donation was successfully concluded with much satisfaction and hopes of good news in the near future. All in all, the club as a whole got the opportunity to make life a little better to small Senura who was fighting a daily battle while struggling to survive, bringing out the whole essence of the project that “We make a life by what we give.” Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Pramudi Rajamanthri Duration – 1 st of January to 2nd of February, 2022
97 | P a g e Mihi Man Dige “You can’t force people to care about the natural environment, but if you encourage them to connect with it, they just might.” — Jennifer Nini The youth is the wind of promise, because whatever they touch together influences. And when their touch is on betterment, they inspire entire communities. Thus, youth is a force to reckon mindfully, always for betterment. And that’s why the Environmental Services Avenue of Rotaract Club, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo of year 2021-22 thought to invest all of what they have to make a striking impact, through multiple approaches, for mother nature. That’s how the club's giant venture for the love of the environment, project “Mihi Man Dige” came up. The initial plan of the project consisted of two phases, namingly, “Little Wings”, growing up an urban forest under the theme of a butterfly garden in the university premises and the second phase being “An insight to butterfly gardening”, a zoom session conducted by a butterfly enthusiast.
98 | P a g e Through this novel initiative, we were able to focus on the rotary focus area of Supporting the Environment and the SDG Goal 15 - Life on Land as this was a promising and sustainable attempt to conserve the environment along with its biodiversity amidst extremely urbanized circumstances. Additionally, we were able to achieve the SDG Goal 17 - Partnerships to achieve the goal as we were able to partner up with different organizations and reputed personals in order to make this project an immense success. Starting off with the much awaited first phase of “Mihi man dige”, “Little Wings” kicked in as showers of enthusiasm rained on. The volunteer contribution was overwhelming. As we asked for the necessary plants to bring up the respective butterflies, 70+ volunteers came up for help. As a PR stunt for our butterfly garden venture, to bring up the hype, we organized a butterfly photography competition, “Fairy Shots”. “Fairy Shots”, in which “Cute Cactus” collaborated with us as the official gift partner. And to our contest, we received 27 amazing photographs. The winners of the “Most Popular Photograph” were selected from Facebook voting, and through the judgment of our DP directors, the “Best Photograph” was chosen. While we were collecting plants behind the curtains, our photography contest took the limelight.
99 | P a g e Next, we started preparing the ground for the butterfly garden, before our big day. So many Rotaractors volunteered daily to create the satisfying setting. On 22nd of May, we invited all our volunteers for the planting of trees. It was a good day. Team spirit was flourishing and the cheerful faces planting their hopes in our butterfly garden was a site to see. Our day was blessed with the honorable presence of Professor Channa Ekanayake, and Professor Nihal Dayawanse. All the activities were done under their loving guidance. Since then, our volunteers have been taking turns in watering the plants, and taking care of them daily, that clearly brought out the sustainability of this project. Since the enthusiasm was on a whole different level, we proceeded to the second phase “An Insight to Butterfly Gardening” which was an entire session organized to make our volunteers know-it-alls. This session was conducted by Mr. Pasindu Rajapakse, member of Young Zoologist Association, and Observer and Identifier of iNaturalist via zoom. It was almost the after party for our entire phase. The photographs received for the butterfly photograph competition, “Fairy Shots” was able to achieve a reach of nearly 2K, while receiving 1K likes in total proving that it was an absolute success. The photo album of little wings gained a reach of more than 4.5K through facebook. The zoom session also had nearly 100 participants who were eager to know in detail about butterfly gardening. Undoubtedly this was an exceedingly thriving initiative which made a huge impact on the Rotaract community including the undergraduates of our Faculty of Science, as well as the general community as it was able to touch the hearts of many environmentalists, and inspire many others to see the beauty of nature and love it. Project Chairpersons – Rtr. Nishen Malinda, Rtr. Sanduni Kannangara Duration – 3 rd of May to 28th of May 2022 Secondary Avenues – Environment, Wildlife and Animal welfare
100 | P a g e Greenholics “Plastic pollution free world is not a choice but a commitment to life - a commitment to the next generation” They say if the current communities don’t take necessary action, that plastic will be the main ingredient of all our grandchildren’s recipes. Even though this lore sounds hilarious, if you dig deep into the statistics and reports of academic communities you will be terrified of the truth in it. Yet, we the youth change games and that’s why we believe in directing them to the necessary pathways for betterment, sparking hope in them making positive waves, can make changes, bring up solutions, and maybe turn the course of events, for better. Greenholics was such an initiative by the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, carried out as per the invitation of the Rotaract Club of College of Chemical Sciences. Our venture aimed at recycling used plastic pens, thus reducing the negative impacts of plastic pollution and contributing to minimizing the “plastic footprint” of the staff and students of the university premises. As the project revolved around the objective of protecting the environment, it was decided that the project would be carried out by Environmental Service Avenue. By placing the garbage bins in the most appropriate locations in the most efficient numbers in the faculty of science