MentHer and the medics!
Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.
-John C Crosby-
And as the above quote says, this is all about one such precious opportunity I got in my life to be mentored by an amazing soul.
I am so privileged to be part of the second chapter of the project “MentHer”, which was based on the concept “women supporting women” brought to life by the Professional Development Avenue of Rotaract Mora.
'MentHer' as the name implies, revolves around the concept of 'women supporting women,’ and it aspires to encourage women in leadership positions to support and contribute to inspiring other women in the community, to soar to the same, if not greater heights. MentHer, therefore, embodies a perfect foundational model for the concept “women supporting women”, by educating and encouraging the undergraduate women community at the University of Moratuwa to become leaders in the workspace one day.
Ok. So back to my journey with MentHer!
It all began with the registrations for MentHer, and I was able to join the parade as one among the 50 enthusiasts who got the opportunity to be mentored by experts in the industry. As the next step in the project, I was added to a group of another 4 medical students through WhatsApp, where we had some chats and discussed all common affairs we faced as undergraduates.
The peak moments of the excitation was when we were informed who our mentor was. She was Dr Rashmira Balasuriya, who is an inspiring lady of many roles as a doctor, an entrepreneur, co-founder of Scrub’d and Home artistry of Srilanka, head of mentors of Arka initiative, Director of Delmon holdings and so on...
Our first meeting with our wonderful mentor was on the first Friday of November, on which day we were head-on heels. We got to know about each other on this day. It proceeded as a friendly discussion on our likes, dislikes, future plans, aims and about our university life so far. We further talked about hardships we came across in life as well. We also got to know about our mentor, her undergraduate life and also her ongoing projects regarding community health. As a successful mentor, Dr Rashmira was able to allow us to see the hope within ourselves even before our first meeting ended.
The second session was a mind-blowing one where we were brainstormed on our goals and ambitions and also on the positive and negative aspects of our life. We realized priorities in life, about self-love, self-motivation and a lot more which paved the way for a perfect, happy and satisfied life along with our professionalism.
Next up was the one-on-one session which five of us was very eagerly expecting. The session allowed us to share each and every deep thought and confusion within ourselves and get them solved with awesome advice and lots of kind words from Dr Rashmira.
During these exclusive sessions of mentoring, we learnt many aspects of time management like using weekly planners, wonderful study techniques like using flashcards, the Pomodoro technique, different ways to boost our motivation like sticking positive self-motivating quotes on our mirror etc and many more.
We were specifically addressed on our emotional needs and Dr Rashmira did not fail to motivate us to move ahead with our dreams other than being a doctor. We were guided in a way to look for a solid future for ourselves and also we got a solid motivation from Dr Rashmira to believe in our dreams. And I think that is why this mentoring programme is very special. These sessions were most needed by each of us, at this point of life where we struggle to take the right step forward losing ourselves amidst many routes of life.
On behalf of the 5 medics representing the very first batch of Medical Faculty of the University of Moratuwa, I would like to thank Dr Rashmira for all the positive vibes and the inspiration she brought into our lives. We were actually blessed and really lucky to have Dr Rashmira as our mentor who never failed to activate our curiosity, knowledge and wisdom. At this point, I would like to mention the wonderful team behind MentHer who introduced the program to us which of course worth millions for us. The connection I built with the mentor and the other 4 mentees of my group is so precious. I can say we are more like a family now. Dr Rashmira is always there to address our issues and open new doors to progress.
Wrapping up my journey with MentHer for the moment, I would like to share the following with the Rotaract Mora family.
Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another. And in that aspect, the project MentHer achieved its goals of empowering women through women and I hope that more such programs projects would be brought into life in future by Rotaract Mora to inspire us and to touch our lives forever.
