On the 5th of December every year, the world comes together to celebrate an amazing force, volunteers. They are the people who give of their time, their skills, their hearts and do not expect to be paid for it. Today on International Volunteers Day, we honor our ‘unsung heroes’ who give their time to make communities flourish; to build bridges of hope; and inspire future generations to dream for a better tomorrow.

Volunteering is a philosophy for us at the Rotaract Club of SLIIT. It’s about we the people collectively solving a problem together and creating opportunities where there were none before. Our projects vary from organizing blood donation drives to executing sustainability projects that help transform lives and facilitate change. What drives every project is the belief of contagious passion coupled with a purpose, the impossible becomes achievable.

Change begins with people—people like you and me. We are the architects of transformation, stepping in when and where we’re needed most. Instead of asking, “What will I gain?” we ask, “What can I give?”. These individuals are teaching children in underprivileged schools, volunteering for cleanup projects, mentoring young leaders, and making countless other contributions that leave a lasting impact.

Every small act of kindness sends waves of goodness out to sea. Picture the student motivated to seek out further education by a mentoring visit, the family fed by a food drive, or the desecrated park flourishing as a vital community asset. The essence of volunteering is in giving without expecting something in return, and these transformations are what truly matters.

Volunteering isn’t just for communities, it’s also for us. There is nothing like it to open our eyes to realizations, to exalt our intentions to overcome difficulty, and to fill these hearts to an incomparable degree of fulfillment. Those voluntary activities are a perfect ground for anyone to gain experience developing leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills while working for a cause bigger than them. It’s also a way to create lifelong friendships, broaden your horizons, and make life long memories.

The journey to volunteering is a journey to self discovery and self growth, and the Rotaract Club of SLIIT believes the same. It’s about being the best version of ourselves while making things as good as we can for this world. With each initiative we undertake, we get closer and closer to bringing this vision to life and, yes, together we can do extraordinary things.

Today as we celebrate International Volunteers Day, remember the world can be changed, each and every one of us can change the world. Whether it’s mentoring someone, using your own resources to help others, or even giving your time and energy to a good cause, it all matters.

We—The Rotaract Club of SLIIT would like to invite each and every one of you to come, join hands with us and share in this transformative journey. When we unite, we overcome troubles together; we can pass on the touch of positivity through us every day; we can make a legacy of compassion and unity together.

Thank you dreamers, doers and changemakers for being the light toward a brighter tomorrow.

Penned By:

Rtr. Yasiru Vithana

Editorial Committee Member 24-25