INSIDE

Interview with a Leo 2

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wms wl=rg ue,s fkdfjuq 5
ie|E iuhg osßhla 6
yß; isis, 7
is;a fk;airh 8
You Smile, We Smile 9
Happiness is Wealth 10

Interview with a
LEO
She is a humble person filled with so
many amazing qualities. Sometimes she is
a dear friend, sometimes she is a mentor
and an adviser, most of the time she is
a loving and caring sister for everyone
and of course she is a true leader. Her
innocent, humble and cute smile is the
secret weapon behind her success. “Leo
of the year” is the highest recognition
one can achieve in their Leo career. This
amazing personality was lucky enough to
win this award in the last leostic year due
to her devotion and contribution towards
the Leo club. In this centennial year,
under her guidance, Leo District 306 A2 is
thriving for the best to serve the humanity
and emphasize the true meaning of leoism
with the theme “Excellence through
Synergy”.
She is none other than the President
of Leo District 306 A2 Leo Kesari
Senavirathna, lovingly addressed as
“Teena”.
So we are lucky to have this amazing
personality as our first interviewee in our
new concept “Chat with a Leo”.
We hope that this would lighten up you
and help you to awake the true Leo within
you.
2
a
ee n
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1. So Teena tell us a little about yourself?
I’m Kesari Senavirathna. My father is a Leo
Governor and my mother is a Leo Adviser. I
have a sister who was a leading Leo too. And if I
talk about my education, I’m about to complete
my double major in International Business and
Management at the ACBT campus. As all of you
know social service has become my passion. Apart
from all of these I like reading books.
2. How and when did your Leo career start?
I was born in a family with a strong Lionism
background. I got the invitation to join the club
when I was about 11 years old. Hoping to get a
chance of helping someone or making a smile on
someone’s face, I joined the club in October 2007.
3. How was your journey as a Leo so far?
It was full of challenges. Under the intention of
moving forward as a girl and moving forward in a
small time everything became a challenge. All the
Leos around me became family to me so that I was
able to face those challenges as a strong person.
I never thought about the titles, the only words
rhymed in my heart were “Helping others”. With
that passion, I was able to reach this far in my Leo
journey.

4. What are the best projects you have joined so
far?
There was a project which was able to make me
realize that we can be someone in somebody’s life.
We planned a tea party for children over the age
of four, at a child care home. But there was a set
of little children there, who were below the age of
4, completely neglected and fully cornered. When
we went there every one of us became sensitive by
hearing them saying “Amma” to us. That was the
place where I realized that you can be a friend, a
mother, a daughter or a sister to anyone in this
world and that project became a reason for me to
change myself a lot.
There was another project which I liked joining.
That project was done at the women’s section of
the prison. There, I realized that most of them have
done mistakes unintentionally or due to a wrong
company.
5. What are your future goals as a LEO?
The only future I see myself as a Leo is being a Leo
who will help the Leo Movement to go further.
I have no goals in making the next title, but if I
can involve in some more projects to serve the
society and if I can help to improve the leadership
qualities of my fellow Leos, that will be my future
goal.
6. What is the biggest accomplishment in your
life?
More than all I gained another family by involving
in Leo Movement. The other thing is that I
developed myself very far from who I was earlier. I
was able to become a person with self-confidence
and without any hesitation I was able to speak in
public. When I consider the accomplishment in
title wise, the best thing is receiving the title “Leo
of the World”.
7. Apart from Leo what are the best things in
your life?
I was able to be in the top three batch tops at
the Advance Diploma. Doing Leo gave me the
exposure to learn how to manage my time and
how to balance my work.
3
8. How can you describe yourself in one word?
Passionate
9. What do you think about the Leo club of
UoM?
I think the Leo club of UoM is a place where
professional leaders are born. UoM Leos are also
in the leading levels of the education, so that
they have the potential of setting their foot onto
a professional arena as a true leader. I can call
it as a talent pool where each and everyone in
the club possess a special talent and they get the
opportunity to brush up them by being a Leo.
The thing which I like the most about them is
that, they do very good needier projects which
cover up the areas where other Leos can’t even
reach. One best example of such projects is “Api
Akurata Mali Nowemu”, where they reach many
parts of the county along with it. As a district
we are grateful to have a club like University of
Moratuwa, which have reached the top not only
in district or multiple levels but in international
levels as well.
There is a wonderful set of human leaders in the
Leo club of UoM starting from Isuru Aiya to
Akmeemana.
10. What is the message you would like to give
to all the Leos around Sri Lanka?
“Live for the true Leoism” is my message.
Having so many titles, having so many awards,
going to so many events where I feel people
have forgotten the true meaning of Leoism.
It is meant to develop yourself while giving
something back to the society.
11. When it is all over, how would you like to
be remembered?
I want to be remembered as who I am. Not
with materialistic things but, if someone
can remember me as a person who created a
smile, it will be enough for me. I wanted to be
remembered as a loving caring person at the end
of all of this.
 4

mßirh isÕs;s weiska

Parisaraya Singithi Asin
“Childhood is the fertilizing time!”

Childhood is a stage that all of us would like to go back to. Small children are like fresh flowers
blossomed in the early mornings to a world wrapped with violence, corruption and never ending
stress. It is a blank book that they possess, waiting to be written with their creative imagination
and openness. On 5th of September UoM Leos visited Crown Kids Preschool at Dewinuwara, a
place filled with such little ones with the hope of creating some value in their blank books.

We tried to make them feel the beauty and importance of the environment through the way
they see it in their own little worlds. The main event of this project was the art competition,
with the theme “Parisaraya Singithi Esin”. At the beginning some guidance and the supplies
that are needed to do the drawings were given to them. At the end of the art competition, it was
so blissful to see how differently these little fresh minds see their surroundings. In most of the
paintings the theme was rainy day, but each and every painting carried different ideas. At the
end of the session we sang, danced and played games with them. It was so great to see their little
smiles and giggles when they received the small gifts we gave. Throughout the time we spent
there, it felt like going back to our childhood, free of all the stress and burden we carry with us.
It was like a day off from our hectic lives to back down our memory lanes and cherish the little
moments we no longer can have. So this project concluded successfully creating happiness and
value in the minds of the kids who are going to be the next leaders ruling the country.
 5

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Api Akurata Meli Nowemu
PHASE 02, 03, 04

“It’s not a shame to born poor, but a

shame to die poor”.
As the sentence implies the fault is with us, if
we die poor, no matter how or where we are
born. Education is a ladder which proves that
the above sentence is true. Education can uplift
the life style and social status of a person.

“Api Akuata Mali Nowemu” is one of the most

successful continuous projects by the Leo club
of University of Moratuwa. On behalf of the
society, it is a social responsibility of Leos as
well as university students towards our own
sisters and brothers to uplift the education
system of Sri Lanka.

In the local education system ordinary level

examination is considered as a mile stone in
the educational path. So every year we, UoM
Leos do a series of mathematics seminars for
Grade 11 students for their O/L examination.
Api Akurata Mali Nowemu phase 02 was
successfully done by UoM Leos on 5th
of September at Dikkumbura Sidhartha
Vidyalaya, sharing the knowledge to expand
the minds of the students there.

Another chapter of this continuous project,
Api Akurata Mali Nowemu phase 03, was done
on 06th September at Sudharshi Navodya
School. Without remaining any doubt UoM
Leos expanded the path of this continuous
project for the third time for the month of
September as phase 04 at Lankagama Model
School on 08th September successfully.
 6

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Sanda Samayata Diriyak

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 7

yß; isis, - Haritha Silila

Trees are a major part of the nature as no one could live on this planet without trees.
By cutting down the trees day by day, the greenery in this world is disappearing and
slowly all the living beings are going to disappear. We, UoM Leos as responsible citizens
decided to take an action in order to save the mother nature for the future generation.
Therefore we decided to do a continuous tree planting project.

This time a herbal and fruit planting project was successfully conducted at MR/
Aparekka M.V. on 07th of September 2016 from 1.00 pm onwards. Initial preparations
for the project were done neatly by the club members as all the responsibilities were
distributed among them. Buying the plants and manure, transporting them to the
place and arranging the selected plot of land were done accordingly. This project
concluded as a great success with the participation of more than 20 Leos and university
students. At the end, all the participants were glad and satisfied because they took a
step forward in their journey of contributing to save the nature.
 8

is;a fk;airh
Sith Nethsaraya

Love is the most profound emotion

known to human beings. No matter
who we are we all love to be loved. Like
every human being, blind people also
love to be loved. Even though they can’t
see the world like us, they see it by their
own way of feeling it. Likewise they feel
love more than us. As the people who
are blessed with all the five senses it is
our responsibility to allocate time for
the people with disabilities who, feel
everything same as us. Kindness is the
language that we can deal with them.

On 12th of September, people of

Kadawadduwa Blind House felt the
love and kindness of the warm hearts of
UoM Leos. We spent a whole day with
these people bringing happiness to their
innocent faces. We were able to arrange
a lunch for them and in the evening they
enjoyed the entertaining events a lot with
us. Also we held a shramadana campaign
at the blind house to make a better place
for them to live.

The service project Sith Nethsaraya

was successfully done by UoM Leo family
in an effective manner.
 9

You Smile, We Smile

With the dawn of the centennial era, we got an opportunity to reach another milestone of the
UoM Leo history. We launched the very first international twinning project, “You Smile, We
Smile”, joining with the Leo Club of Butwal Manimukunda, celebrating the occasion of their
first anniversary.
On 21st of September, UoM Leos spent the day at the Methodist Elders Home Moratmulla
while the Leo Club of Butwal Manimukunda spent the day with differently abled children at
Butwal-13, Nepal.
George Washington Carver once said that, “How far you go in life depends on your being
tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and
tolerant of the weak and strong because, some day in your life you will have been all of these.”
Once in life and never again we all will have two supreme characters from whom we learn
the true meaning of the words “purest love”. So called are the “Parents”; the amazing selfless
creation to this harsh world. There are some people in this world who are just running after
money and achievements, without any sense about the true meaning and purpose of life
and the greatness behind the small precious things that matters us most in this world, like
parents. They might never understand, that they will not be able to reach the climax of their
achievements because they lack the heartiest blessings from their parents. Elder care homes
have become the roof for the mothers and fathers of these people, to spend the later part of
their lonely lives, relieving their blessings to the empty space of their own frozen souls.
Listening to their sweet stories once they had dreamt to say to their grandchildren, sharing
their pain and loneliness and bringing smile to those faces even for a second, might be the
best thing that one can do to console those lonely fragile minds. Along with this twinning
project UoM Leos were privileged to bring a smile on the faces of such elders at Methodist
Elders Home Moratmull and bring a light to their gloomy lives.
We had tea and snacks and a small musical evening with them. They sang with us, danced
with us, forgetting all the grievances for a while. We were able to shine their hearts and fill
their minds with happiness while on the other way around we were more than happy by
knowing that we were the reason behind their happiness and blissful smiles. Finally it was
comprehended that it was very much befitting to use “YOU SMILE-WE SMILE” as the title
for this blissful evening.
 10

HAPPINESS
IS WEALTH

Still it lingers in our minds, how we spent our childhood. We had a lot of fun with
our parents and the other family members. We had enough time to play and study.
Learning is fun when we do it through games and plays. Still we have those sweet
memories.
But now all have changed. We have to run fast in a race. So we don’t have time to look
back. Because of this we don’t have time to be happy and cope with others. So how can
we spend a happy life? We don’t have time to do our work. So how can we help each
other? No need to spend money to get the happiness. We can be happy by helping
others, working with others and by doing social services. So we can get a pleasure. We
can’t buy it. Happiness gives us good health and it’s a good wealth for all of us.
Leo Praminda Vindika
 11

Don’t Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow.
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,

It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out..

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit..
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
 12

SNAPS of the
Month
 13

Editor’s Note
The journey of true leaders of UoM Leo family is
successfully striding from the very inception of this
centennial year with new hopes and experiences.
Welcome to the official newsletter of UoM Leos,
“It’s us” to share the memories which are gathered
by UoM Leos in their journey throughout the last
month, September.
The month of September was a wonderful and
marvelous month filled with lot of worthy projects
and unforgettable memories. You smile We smile,
Sende Samayata Diriyak, Sith Nethsaraya, Haritha
Sisila, Api Akurata Meli Nowemu Phase 2,3,4 are
some of them. UoM Leos could touch the hearts of
the people of different ages in different societies all
Leo Ushara Madushani over the country and earn the happiness by giving
Editor happiness to them through these projects.
It’s my great pleasure to thank all who helped
us even with a word and your comments and
feedbacks are always welcomed.
We hope to continue our journey increasing
the impact of projects through the strong bond
between the Leos of UoM Leo family. Join with us
to become innovative leaders and experience the
life in a new perspective. This is your opportunity.

Leo Chamathka Leo Chamindi Leo Hazima Leo Hiruni Leo Nijani
Chief Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor

Design by - Leo Buddhi Vikasitha

LEO CLUB OF UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA

An Imperial Legend of Eminence