Following the International Youth Day, the Rotaract Club of SLIIT (RID 3220), Sri Lanka, and the Rotaract Club of Akash (RID 3233), India, collectively conducted a Youth Empowerment Program called “NEXTGEN SPARX“ to remind us why we, as the youth, are the biggest hope this world has.

The event was held on August 13, 2025, as an online conference, and it focused on key topics for young people today, such as the gift of seizing opportunities, the struggle of navigating generational challenges, and the relief of understanding the rights the youth have and how they can use them to empower themselves.

Before we dive in,

“What is youth?”
Mr. Mahendra Jayasekara posed the question, then answered it himself:

“Youth is a time when you think of the future more than the past.”

This simple, powerful statement set the tone for the evening’s discussion.

Mr. Mahendra Jayasekara is a Chartered Accountant, the Former Managing Director of Lanka Walltiles PLC, and the Former President of the Colombo YMBA. With decades of experience, he has been a pioneer in strategic management, ethical business practices, and youth development, inspiring the next generation of leaders.

During his talk, he emphasised the importance of having a sharp mind, courage, and, most importantly, curiosity to spot good opportunities, as they are rare and often a “once-in-a-lifetime” occurrence. He further elaborated that even a crisis can be a good opportunity and shouldn’t be viewed merely as a problem to solve.

He went further to challenge conventional ideas about success and leadership by noting that true success isn’t just about how much money you make, but about how ethical you are in your pursuits. He said it’s absolutely essential for young people to hold hands for a common, righteous cause, making them a powerful force that the political world would fear.

Mr. Jayasekara drew a parallel to great leaders like Prophet Muhammad, Mahatma Gandhi, and others who did not just satisfy the basic needs of their people, but rather guided them towards a “heavenly rebirth,” marking the true essence of leadership.

Being a leader doesn’t come naturally; you need to be educated. As Mr Jayasekara concluded his talk, he stated that an educated person is someone who can distinguish right from wrong.

“Without education, you don’t know the past, and without the past, you will never know how the future came about.”

He effortlessly delivered a powerful reason for education in this single, remarkable line.

After thanking Mr. Mahendra Jayasekara for the wonderful talk, the host seamlessly transitioned to introduce the next speaker, Ms. Neelam Jain.

A social entrepreneur and the founder of PeriFerry, she started the country’s first-ever social enterprise in the country dedicated solely to improving the lives of the transgender community. Ms. Jain is also a TEDx speaker, Forbes 30 under 30 2021, and LinkedIn’s top Influencer 2021. 

Ms. Jain began with the unusual yet impactful statement that the youth don’t need to be empowered, they already are. She explained that in our early twenties, we dream of unthinkable things with unwavering belief. However, as we age and gain experience, we tend to become critical of our dreams, and that’s where the issue stems from.

To illustrate her point, she shared her own experience of being inspired by her dream to ensure every transgender person has a job within a few years. Although eight years have passed and the goal hasn’t been fully achieved, she insists they’ve come a long way.

Ms, Jain’s key takeaway was the importance of writing down ideas and dreams. She explained that when it’s in your mind, it’s clumsy and fleeting, but then the simple act of putting it on paper gives you the clarity you need. She reminded everyone that when they wake up tomorrow, the content of this talk and their thoughts may fade from their memory, but what they wrote, will remain to be reflected and refined.

She also spoke about the idea of “glorified quitting.” She emphasised that if you have a stable job that aligns with your values, it’s perfectly fine to stay and not pursue the the entrepreneurial path like she did.

The real act of empowerment is choosing a path that is authentic to you, instead of trying to please everyone. – Ms. Neelam Jain

The NEXTGEN SPARX event itself was a testament to this, by being a bridge between nations that brought together two clubs to empower the next generation.

The insights from Mr. Mahendra Jayasekara and Ms. Neelam Jain gave the the youth a powerful blueprint to transform their dreams into a tangible reality, not just for themselves but for the world.

Penned By:

Rtr. Rana Rilwan

Editor 25-26