Be The Change - Jathu’s Story

Teach First Sri Lanka is all about making leaders. Young Leaders, whose leadership is founded in teaching. Young Leaders who would understand the depth of social issues in communities, and have the sense to solve problems that affect communities that face educational inequity. But it is heartwarming to see young people making a similar impact in their communities, without our intervention.

“I just want to be myself and live my life the way I want to”- Jathu

Introducing Jathu

I spent this week working with Jathu in Batticaloa, visiting our five schools and introducing him to the principals, teachers and volunteers. During this time I have got to know Jathu a little better. He has been very kind and helpful and he says that he is obliged to work with me because he appreciates that I come all the way from Colombo to support a community of schools that is in the vicinity of his home town and he wants to be involved. Jathu has volunteered to advocate for TFSL at the Eastern University. I can’t think of anyone better, because Jathu aspires to be a coach that can inspire people to achieve their full potential.

Jathu’s Inspiration

Jathu’s inspiration started when he was at school in the 10th grade at Chenkalady Central College in 2015. The school nominated Jathu to be one of the 20 who could be a part of a program that was focused on developing young people’s Personal Leadership Capability. The program was called “Skills for Life” and was conducted by World Vision. The program ran from 2015 to 2019, and they went through modules that were focused on personal development, social innovation and Community Leadership. The ultimate goal was that they become change agents in their communities.

What set this program apart was its innovative approach—learning through engaging games to help them develop essential skills and realise their purpose. Jathu and his peers discovered the power of play as a tool, helping them gain a profound understanding of themselves, their aspirations, and their goals. Jathu gives much credit to the support of his mentor Antony Suresh Gnanapragasam, a modest gentleman with whom I myself have had the pleasure of association. Jathu, holds Suresh in high esteem and aims to emulate him in the career that he chooses for himself.

Furthermore, this transformative experience inspired Jathu and his team to extend this opportunity to others. He dedicated himself to training fellow students in schools such as Iluppadichennai, and Karadiyanaru (Schools that TFSL hope to place fellows in), and several other schools as an extension of the Skills for Life program.

An Inspired Career Choice

The Skills For Life program instilled in Jathu a deep understanding of his ambitions and ignited his desire to continue to work with children and communities. Fueled by this newfound purpose, Jathu joined DreamSpace Academy (Batticaloa) in 2021 which helped him experiment with entrepreneurship. He was a part of the Dreamspace lifecycle which was an incubator that helped him develop his own social initiatives, Ryver and CreoKits in 2022. The nonprofit startup was started with a vision to empower young minds, nurture essential skills, and ignite innovation.

Not only did the Skills For Life program help Jathu inspire his career choice but also helped him in his education. He studied Engineering Technology for his A Levels and was ranked for his best results as 4th in Batticaloa District. He says that the third and fifth-ranked students in the district were also part of the Skills for Life program. Jathu is now studying for his Business Management degree while also furthering his progress with his social initiatives.

Jathu’s role in Teach First Sri Lanka

By breaking free from the traditional education system and embracing his entrepreneurial spirit, he has become an inspiration. His unwavering commitment to personal growth, along with his dedication to fostering the same growth in others, showcases his profound belief in the power of self-discovery and the importance of pursuing one's passions is strongly aligned with Teach First Sri Lanka’s mission of empowering young leaders that can drive positive change.

His story serves as a testament to the transformative power of programs like Skills for Life and the profound impact they can have on individuals and communities. Jathu believes that Teach First Sri Lanka could have a similar if not greater impact on young changemakers in Batticaloa and therefore he has agreed to be our advocate, showcasing his story as an example of how a program that focuses on self-development can spearhead a young person's ability as a leader in their community.

Sincerely,

Jeremy De Zilwa