Team Profiles
Prabu Deepan
Prabu is Stitch’s very own, walking contradiction. He is a realist, but he’s the biggest dreamer you’d ever meet. He’s a perfectionist but appreciates mistakes. He’s stubborn but never fails to consider another person’s opinion. He’s impatient but will never walk away from someone who needs him. He’s a leader but is never afraid to take direction from his peers. Prabu is the driving force and visionary of Stitch. It’s his creative spark that propelled Stitch to redefine the meaning of volunteerism and youth empowerment. With 7 years of experience in banking, 3 years in project cycle management and hands on experience in coaching, facilitating and management Prabu has tirelessly worked for many international and national organizations alike, where his work as a humanitarian and an activist has reached countless youth whilst inspiring and motivating them with his vision of youth mobilization.
Prathiba Perera
Entertainment and Prathiba are synonymous with each other! He is a constant entertainer and his antics never fail to make a dreary day interesting! He is an amazing public speaker and has a talent of capturing everyone’s attention regardless of the capacity of his audience. Prathiba has been involved in humanitarian work for years where his skills as a facilitator, organizer and trainer has benefited various organizations and projects. He holds a diploma in Human Resources and also enjoys working in the advertisement industry producing educational TV programs in his free time.
Divya Martyn
Divya is a versatile person who adapts quickly to the environment around her and also the work she undertakes. She is brilliantly focused on the outcome of everything STITCH engages in and is driven to see projects getting done. She is fun loving, honest, passionate about people, and always goes the extra mile to make a difference. She is someone who is a very good listener, which is something very rare to find these days. She is also famous for her love of worrying a lot, loves reading everything she gets her hands on and enjoys drinking Milo (chocolate malted drink). She holds a degree in Psychology, and hopes to pursue for her masters in the same discipline.
Samalka Athuraliya
Quiet and soft-spoken, Samalka is one of the many lights that help brighten STITCH. At a glance she spells the words sporty and funky, but what is more prominent is her love for volunteering and willingness to lend a hand. Hardworking and determined, her goal is to make a difference no matter how small. Samalka is currently reading for CIMA and a Diploma in International Relations. She is driven by her passion to give the under-privileged the love and care she has experienced and working towards motivating others to do the same. Her diversity, in interests and talents, is what truly makes her unique and a valuable member in the team.
Janitha Basnayake
Chanaka is a core team member of Stitch, joining us during the time we began our Emergency Relief Work. Since then he has evolved into an integral part of the team, and has added much value into the work we do. He is very much the silent type (very different to the rest of the team!) and adds invaluable input just when it is needed. As the team Head of Emergency Assistance and outreach, Chanaka has been in the forefront of ensuring all details of a project are taken care of and he can be depended on to see them through. He is now employed full time as the Information and Communication Technology officer in National STD/AIDS Control Programme and is a CISCO qualified Network Associate. Having worked in different capacities in other organizations, we are indeed proud to have him with us!
Anisha Niyas
Anisha is the creative’s person at STITCH and it is her attitude of “never saying no” when asked to do a last minute project that makes her stand out. She grew up in Colombo, loves telling stories and writing poetry. Working as a Public Relations Executive in her actual 9 to 5 job, she is part of United Nations Volunteers - part of their national youth taskforce to encourage volunteerism in Sri Lanka , alumni of the Training for Trusteeship programme and is also reading for her English Honors degree. She is committed to making a difference in whatever way she can and being involved at STITCH gives her the opportunity to reach out to those in need. Secrets to know about Anisha: writing is like breathing to her, she is obsessed with her camera, with reading every book she gets her hands on, is in love with shoes and she still makes time for her favorite thing to do: travel.
Annemari De Silva
Columnist – iVolunteeri/Change “Saving the world one chicken at a time” are the words used by a friend to describe Annemari. Conscious of the environmental and social impact of her day to day life, Annemari spends too much time choosing the most ethically raised animals to consume and far too little time thinking about life after her undergraduate degree. Through her involvement in The Stitch Movement she believes she has combined her enthusiasm for writing with her passion for volunteerism; her friends know she has just found an excuse to rant about consumerism and individualist mentality to a wider audience. All the same, she hopes this involvement will be one of the initial steps to building a life dedicated to community service.
Dilshan Sallay
As a Computer Science student who works for an IT firm and revels in a passion of watching and playing football, Dilshan is not the geeky couch potato one would expect from this profile. He is a dynamic individual, infecting all of Stitch with his irrepressible sense of humour and love of company. He started off as a volunteer who regularly attended Stitch events but his consistent dedication and clear passion for his volunteer work pushed the Stitch mother-ship to beam him up into the core team. His involvement ranges widely, from project management to artistic design. His most important contribution is his fidelity to his own motto: ‘If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours’.
Eshini Ekanayake
Adding flavour to our multi-diverse team, Eshini is a blend of many qualities. She 'looks' quiet at first glance; but she is able to strike up a conversation within minutes and is known to be quite talkative among her close friends. Currently working at a research company, she is a Bsc (Hons) graduate in Economics and Finance. Eshini spells the word versatile as she is talented in many ways and is undoubtedly a valuable member on the team. She enjoys many things such as reading, listening to music, travelling and water-related activities; but what remains close to her heart is her love for dogs and, surprisingly, food. Taking a stand to not be ignorant about social issues in society today,Eshini lends a hand whenever she can and shares her time and talents to help those in need.
Shehara De Mel
Shehara is no doubt amongst the most dynamic and talented members of STITCH. She is one of STITCH’s first volunteers and although she appears to be quiet and reserved, she is quite the dynamite when she gets fired up. The columns she has written has been the reason many are volunteering with STITCH today. She is extremely dependable, always willing to lend a hand, and adds humour to the teams she is involved with. She commits her free time to working with the STITCH movement while completing her post graduate diploma in International relations, in addition to having already completed her LLB. Adding to her many skills is her ability to play - both the piano and the organ - incredibly well.
Gehan Somanader
Mostly harmless, Gehan is a hitchhiker from a planet near the solar system of Betelgeuse. Using his alien abilities he performs magic shows at stitch volunteer events, outreach programs and sometimes is also seen entertaining the unsuspecting muggle. He maintains his cover by posing as a software engineer and is responsible for most of the online presence of the stitch movement. In order to blend in without arousing suspicion he had to lose 60kg so he spends a lot of time playing rugby and running. He tries to follow the principle, 'try not to be a jerk' and he believes volunteering is something that a jerk wouldn't do. This became the reason he started volunteering with STITCH so he could share and enjoy the time he spends on this beautiful rock we all call home
Marisa de Silva
Few people can say they are truly passionate about the work they do. Marisa is living proof that if you want something to change in the society you live in, you need to get out there and make things happen, so that change will follow. Having worked as a journalist at a leading English newspaper, Mari (as she is more fondly known), is now working in the field of Human Rights, whilst also making sure the project she coordinates at Stitch runs smoothly. Having obtained a BA in Social Sciences, she will soon be reading for her Masters in Human Rights and Democratization. Mari is an inspiring individual, who lights up any place she is in with her sense of humour, her easy going nature, her optimism about life and her infectious laughter. We are proud to have her as part of the Stitch Team!
Kristen McCalla
Kristen's passion of expression through any form of art has manifested itself in different ways since the beginning. She is an intimate observer of life, and is able to communicate those observations through writing, photography, painting, and music. Her belief in loving every form of life, regardless of situation or circumstance, creates an environment in which movement, change, and transformation can and does occur. Her laid back and easy going demeanor dictates, at times, her personality and overall countenance. The uncommon intensity she possesses, however, is the factor in her ability to get the things she believes in accomplished. She is full of life, love, and laughter, and lives every day to its fullest. Her loyalty and diplomacy are noted by everyone she comes into contact with. She studied the History of Africa at the University of Texas, with a concentration on the history of AIDS and the deconstruction of a Master Narrative built by the Global North. She co-founded the UT Austin branch of Student Global AIDS Campaign and was active in motivating the student body toward AIDS awareness. She is also an accomplished artist with paintings sold to private buyers in San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, Austin and Fort Worth, TX. Her photographs have hung in music venues and cafés around Austin, TX.
Yasir Arsath
Studying : Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Management Studies, and Diploma in Human Rights. Completed : Diploma in International Relations. Interested: Volunteerism, friends, Hobby: Books, movies, music, games Why: I am committed to social work, empowering, teach people, gain experience, development and striving for change