17/08/2026
𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐞
𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗚 𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟴
Name: Thamodhi Samaraweera
Age: 22 years
Region: Nakiyadeniya, Galle
Ethnic/Religious Diversity: Sinhala, Buddhist
Studies: Diploma in Psychology and Counselling
Passionate about: Dancing, music, and drama
𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
Thamodhi is a young person who is passionate about artistic skills that allow her to engage directly with people through the expression of various emotions. Therefore, since her school days, she has been interested in stage drama and dancing. As a result, she now works as a member of the National Drama Team.
"The moment I bow to my audience at the end of every stage performance is my happiest moment because it gives me a great feeling of gratitude."
She believes that throughout her life, she has been searching for something that she feels is missing, even though she has not yet recognised what it is. Therefore, on her journey of exploring and discovering herself, Thamodhi identified YV as a space where she can grow in many different aspects of her life, such as artistic expression, self-identification, and self-discovery, while walking alongside other young people.
𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲... 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
Thamodhi had a close circle of friends during her school days. But after the Advanced Level examination, they began new journeys, and their friendships gradually became distant. This sometimes made Thamodhi feel lonely and missing.
Therefore, her first impression of the YV circle was that she had found another circle of friends-one with diverse young people whom she could trust, connect with, and be happy with. This feeling connected her strongly to the YV circle.
However, during the first two days, it was a little difficult for Thamodhi to understand the learnings of YV. The terms used were unfamiliar to her, and the concepts YV introduced were new.
But on the third day, when YV introduced them to Earth as a teacher, connector and healer through experiencing the Earth and connecting with the Earth, she started to understand the concepts she had learned during the first two days.
She began to observe how everything on Earth is an outcome of conflict.
𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 '𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱' 𝗮𝗻𝗱 '𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵' 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆
Thamodhi and several other YV fellows who are members of the National Drama Team had to leave the second workshop on the third day to participate in a drama.
"𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗷𝗮, 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵-𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻-𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺."
Thamodhi and her friends, who are also YV fellows, felt confused. Suddenly, it became difficult for them to reconnect with the way the human system operates. They had long conversations about this because they were afraid that this new environment would destroy the peace, they had gained through the YV workshop in Sinharaja.
"𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁."
However, they finally came to understand that this could be a great opportunity to observe the strength of their practices. They realised that if their YV practices and their rooting with Earth were strong and authentic, they had nothing to be afraid of.
They understood rooting with Earth is not about living in fear. It is about overcoming fear through faith.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀
At the coaching and mentoring session, Thamodhi understood the importance of sharing her learnings and practices with people outside the YV circle.
"𝗦𝗼, 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽, 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆." said Thamodhi.
𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀
Thamodhi started writing a journal. But she found it difficult to translate her true emotions and feelings into words. Therefore, she began looking for different ways to engage in journaling.
During this interview, we discussed other possible ways for her to reflect on her transformation journey. We explored how journaling through crafts, art, and combinations of colours could be ways to express ourselves without using words.
Thamodhi also recognised this as a creative and meaningful way for her to continue her journaling practice.
𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀
At present, Thamodhi's dream for others is to support them in experiencing a transformative journey like YV, where they can learn, unlearn, and relearn.
She believes people need a journey like YV to transform themselves while contributing to the transformation of other human lives and Earth.
Her peer formation activity is the beginning of this journey. She hopes to form her peer group on 8th August and create a strong sisterhood circle where young women can find space for healing and transformation.
Thamodhi's dreams are simple and meaningful. She focuses on what she can do in the present moment.
𝗪𝗲, 𝗬𝗩, 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.
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VHI Team -
Interviewed & Narrated by: Rosy Silva
Photography & Poster Designed by: Niranjan Dissanayake
Supported by: Vidusha Janith & Heshani Fonseka
