The Avinya Scoop

As the week before the start of a new cohort of students, we find ourselves wondering where the time went. This past week has been a whirlwind of tying up loose ends, enhancing our curriculum, squeezing in vital training and development sessions, and tackling the multitude of administrative tasks that come with running our academy.  A long overdue welcome to Nalaka who joined us as Academy Services Manager on 14 August and is streamlining all finance, operations and other Academy services from a broader perspective. As we evolve, grow and head into new and uncharted territory it will be great to have his expertise bring diverse views and perspectives to the team. He has summed up his two weeks with us so far: “ Amazing two weeks with many new learnings. I love my new role and the culture at Avinya. Experienced, talented and fun-loving team to work with that feels like a family. ” Our amazing new website courtesy Code 94 Labs is simmering on the stove with final touches and we can’t...

Hi everyone, Our 53rd weekly blog post couldn't have come at a more fitting time. As we put the final touches on preparing our second batch to get a taste of “empowerment”, it's as if the universe aligned to remind us of the journey we've embarked on.  " The direction you choose to face determines whether you’re standing at the end or the beginning of a road. " - Richelle E. Goodrich In the midst of the hustle and bustle, a close friend reached out to me last week after reading our #52 blog to tell me just how amazed she is about how far we've come. It was then that I realized I hadn't taken a moment to stop and smell the roses and appreciate where we are now.  We've been so focused on pushing forward, always striving for the next milestone.  So, as I reflect on where we are now, there are many things that come to mind but two things stand out  It wasn’t easy  It won’t be easy  “ We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead ...

Sinalie, our vibrant and enthusiastic live wire, has been diligently working behind the scenes this week to curate a blog that perfectly captures the essence of celebrating 52 weeks of blogging. While not everyone's voice is represented in the quotes, as some have embarked on different journeys and are crafting their own stories, we’ve managed to compile the gist of feeling that encompasses special moments across the year. Before you delve into that,  allow me a moment of nostalgia (well, mostly because Sinalie threatened to banish me from her office if I didn’t). Rewinding 52 weeks, when Sanjiva first proposed the idea of weekly blogs, I was like, "Sure, we can do this."  But, it hasn’t always been easy to meet our own internal weekly deadlines. There’s always something happening. But you know what keeps us going? It's you, our readers. Just when the going gets tough, a kind word from someone who's read the blog lifts spirits and fuels the drive to continue. As w...

Hello dear readers, Graduation day had finally arrived, and it was nothing short of a massive success in all our eyes! As each student proudly received their certificates, the homeroom teachers shared heartfelt one-liners that echoed the unique journey each student had taken at Avinya. In true Avinya fashion, we faced a few hiccups here and there (we perhaps should not have put our Executive Directress in a saree on this important day) but all in all it was a beautiful day that showcased the culmination of hard work and dedication from the first batch of the Empower program. Our educator Ilma, has some thoughts to share about this day as well! "I can do things you cannot. You can do things I cannot. Together we can do great things." - Mother Teresa That’s a wrap! When I was asked to take the lead in organising the graduation ceremony I accepted without batting an eyelash; not because I was confident in myself, but because I was confident in my team. We work together like clog...

Hey everyone!  Today’s blog is brought to you by Isuru. It’s been quite a while since I wrote an article here but I hope to keep up with our seasoned bloggers’ energy. (Sinalie and Anju, this means you!) So many things are going on at Avinya and I’ve got a lot to share with you. Let’s recap what our week was like. The Media Conference was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our students’ talents to the world out there. A number of media channels accepted our invitation to witness the talents of the students and to get a glimpse of the Avinya Style. The educators, students and the non-academic staff all contributed to its success in whatever capacity they could. This is the beauty of the Avinya style; we win together! The project “Let’s Vlog It” was the last project we did with our wonderful first batch of students. This was therefore a fine blend of excitement, sadness, joy and tears. The students are well aware that in a week’s time they are going in different directions, pursuing...