Written by and Graphic Design by: Rtr. Nethmi Tharushika

Come, let us walk through this year together, my beautiful Rotaract family. Not just to look back, but to feel back.

If the 14th year felt like home, then the 15th year, our Charter Anniversary year, felt like walking through that same familiar door and finding the warmth deeper, the laughter louder, and the love even more abundant. Home does not change. Home only grows richer with every person who walks through. And this year, so many of you walked in.

We did not just complete another RI year. We turned 15. And we celebrated not with quiet pride, but with roaring service, reckless compassion, and a love so loud it echoed from Matale to Kitulgala, from Colombo to Kandy. This is the story of RACUSJ’s 15th year.

The magic of RACUSJ lives in the moments between. The uncontrollable laughter. The high fives after a game well played. The quiet pride of making a child smile. Led by Rtr. Minuli Rajapaksha and Rtr. Thirani Algama, the Club Service Avenue turned every vision into reality. Aloha 25 welcomed strangers into a community. Rota Awrudu 26 celebrated culture and belonging. Uni Three 3.0 connected USJ, Ruhuna, and Peradeniya across three phases, building friendships that outlasted the semester. When Cyclone Ditwah struck, Memorable December 6.0 pivoted from party to purpose, delivering stationery, sweets, and smiles to children in Moratuwa. Razzle Up 3.0 closed the year with stand up comedy and live music alongside two Interact Clubs. From orientation to outreach, culture to comedy, they did not just host events. They built a family.

Led by Rtr. Methsala Ariyarathna, Rtr. Kulaji Patabendi, and Rtr. Dilini Wijewardena, the Community Service Avenue proved that meaningful change needs action, not applause. Drops of Hope brought clean water to over 350 students at Siri Dammathilaka School, renovated washrooms, and provided hygiene kits. SheBlooms reached over 1,000 women across nine districts with flood relief, a free marketplace, and health awareness sessions. Thaala Rekhawa made history as Sri Lanka’s first sensory concert for the blind and special needs community, welcoming 240 guests from five districts. Diviyata Diviyak 5.0 then raised the bar, serving over 500 mothers and children, distributing 140+ care packages, screening 300+ students, and building the “Maw Sewana” digital portal for maternal mental health. Behind every drop of clean water, every woman’s first sale, every guest who felt the rhythm, and every mother who found hope online were sleepless nights and open hearts. The smallest act of kindness became the biggest thing in someone’s world.

Led by Rtr. Isum Weerasinghe and Rtr. Yohara Perera, the Professional Development Avenue turned three ambitious ideas into real transformations. Vanguard 3.0 threw out the rulebook. Strangers became teammates climbing rope walls, solving treasure hunts on barrel rafts, and cheering through spider webs. No speeches. Just action. Venture Voice 2.0 brought Style Up, teaching 50 young people that your presence speaks before you do, and Speak Up, where 25 delegates debated refugee crises and global equity like seasoned diplomats. YES 26 became a launchpad for Sri Lanka’s next founders. School kids and university minds pitched to investors, survived a Shark Tank showdown, and heard straight talk on the real climb. No sugarcoating. Just growth.

Under Rtr. Gaveshna Pelenage and Rtr. Nethmi Tharushika, the International Service Avenue melted borders. Global Chapters’ 25 brought Tongues Without Borders, turning screens into warm conversations across Sri Lanka and other Countries. Voices Across Borders became the Treasure Tales ebook and audiobook. Threads of Culture gathered friends from Indore, Delhi, and KSSEM for a Thai Pongal celebration as a family. When Cyclone Ditwah struck, Api Ekwa answered with warmth, packing essentials and standing with St. John Ambulance to bring hope to flood ravaged families, followed by a blood donation drive. Ceylon Fest 2.0 brought 39 participants to Glayze Cafe to knead clay, paint masks, and watch traditional Rukada Natya puppets come alive. From cyclone to festival, from Zoom to blood bag, warmth has no passport. It only travels where hearts are open.

Nature speaks softly, so we must listen closely. Led by Rtr. Deneth Perera and Rtr. Pasindu Liyanage, the Environmental Service Avenue poured their energy into Aquatica Wave 6.0. Across seven phases, they pulled 250 kilograms of waste from Beddagana Wetland, collected 6.5 kilograms of nurdles from Beruwala Beach, cleaned turtle tanks at Induruwa, planted 25 mangroves at Muthurajawela, educated 70 students alongside IWMI, snorkeled through Hikkaduwa’s coral gardens, and finally placed 15 new coral fragments into the sea with Parley for the Oceans. From muddy boots to salty waves, this avenue proved that when young people care, the Earth heals.

With the perfect balance of creativity and numbers, Finance Committee co-directors Rtr. Duvindu Sokman and Rtr. Neha Anosh handled their responsibilities with remarkable ease and flair! They brought warmth and purpose to the season by championing Memorable December 6.0, turning a festive gathering into a heartfelt Christmas outreach for children in need. But if one project truly highlighted their financial brilliance, it was Mind Maze ’25, where they masterfully secured 14 partners and managed every rupee with precision, fueling an unforgettable treasure hunt that ignited youthful curiosity and teamwork. Without a doubt, the Finance Avenue delivered nothing short of a masterclass in financial management this year!

From welcoming fresh faces to honoring 15 years of impact, this year was a testament to the club’s enduring spirit. The journey began with Aloha ’25, a vibrant newbie orientation that welcomed over 100 new members. The energy grew stronger with Serāta ’25, a heartfelt 15th anniversary celebration, followed by the 15th Installation Ceremony. Behind all these initiatives, including Splendour ’26, were the Membership Development Avenue Directors Rtr. Thisari Rajamanthri and Rtr. Banula Kashmira, who led every project with passion and dedication. The year culminated in Splendour ’26, an awards ceremony celebrating excellence, leadership, and service, bringing together 95 members to honor outstanding contributions. Thanks to their visionary leadership, Splendour ’26 became a cherished memory of pride and renewed motivation for the entire RACUSJ family.

Under the leadership of Rtr. Pasindu Heshan, the Public Relations Avenue delivered two impactful initiatives. “Someone’s Daughter Volume 08” tackled gender-based violence through a 16 day digital awareness campaign, a debut podcast series “Let’em Have Power” featuring eight influential women, a panel discussion “A Promise for Her” in collaboration with English Razor, and a “Walk For Her” solidarity march, transforming silence into national conversation. Alongside this, Design Warrior 6.0 equipped young creators with future ready skills through a three workshop series on visual storytelling, video editing, and AI integration. Together, these projects did not just raise awareness or teach skills. They inspired fearless storytellers and ignited lasting social change.

Led by Rtr. Buhuni Padmapriya and Rtr. Chirath Osanda, the Sports and Recreational Activities Avenue was the ultimate escape from lectures and deadlines. Path Venture 2.0 took us to misty Hawagala, rain and all, rewarded with breathtaking views of the Central Highlands, then to Kitulgala, where white water rafting and canyoning turned fear into joy. Amigo 4.0 brought beach games at Panadura, including tunnel ball, a treasure hunt disguised as a cleanup, and balloon pops, followed by the Frisbee Bash at Mount Lavinia. From mountain peaks to roaring rivers to sandy shores, they handed us unforgettable stories and stronger bonds. The best parts of university happen outside the classroom.

And that is a wrap on 2025/26. No grand goodbyes. Just quiet gratitude and warmth.

The Rotaract Club of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura was never just about projects or positions. It was about showing up, even when life got hard, and finding a reason to smile anyway. The 2025/26 chapter may be closing, but the laughter, friendships, and quiet magic of doing small things with great love will stay.

To every single person who made this year matter, you did not just serve. You showed what family looks like.

Thank you, RACUSJ. On to the next.