Aruni Ganewatta was the Founder and Past President of the Sri Lanka Youth Organization established in 2011, is a fast growing non profit 501 C (3) organization. This organization has expanded globally which includes 8 chapters in the Unites States, United Kingdom, Sri Lanka and Canada also maintained by 5 Board of Directors and over 3000 followers on various social media outlets.
SLYO was created to impact the lives of Sri Lanka youth living abroad and in Sri Lanka by providing leadership and networking opportunities. Countless immigrants and American- born Sri Lankans strive to attain the great American dream but lose sight of their roots when trying to balance the cultures. SLYO strives to create harmony among the many talented and unique individuals by creating and hosting events that build a bridge between the two cultures.
We welcome all ethnic backgrounds setting a precedent for other organizations of it’s kind. The future of our society depends on the decisions and actions made in the present. These actions manifest through community service, public works, and many other controlled recreational projects. The committed SLYO volunteer’s efforts earn national leadership recognition that adhere to the highest standards of excellence.
The success of SLYO consist of many charitable projects such as feeding the homeless, educational assistance to the under privilege children, hosting events to raise funds for projects in Sri Lanka which Bathiya & Santhush concert was one of the largest events presented. One of the future projects in the works is for each chapter to select a school of any country to address the barriers to education and work with communities and local government to improve quality of education children receive.
On August 15th, 2015 at the Sri Lanka Day members of the SLYO showed their dedication and hard work when they showcased the Cultural Pageant 2015 which was applauded by many spectators. This was a remarkable performance by all participants not to mention the Choreography and Designs of the clothing which was breath taking.
Aruni would like to use her role as a leader to motivate and inspire youth to reach out to their fullest capacity to accomplish their dreams. This is one of the reasons why she is planning a “Women’s Conference” on November 7th, 2015 in Los Angeles.
Last but not least she urges the community to praise and encourage every youth, to support their events and to be a positive role model.
