At a very young age, Kavindya already has an illustrious portfolio many would kill for: She’s busy spearheading her own community development project “Without Borders”, winning accolades and being felicitated by the Queen.

Kavindya was always destined for great things. She excelled academically: While at Lyceum International School, she was awarded by the University of Cambridge for scoring the highest results in the Ordinary Level (O/L) Examination and placing highest in the Sociology and Environmental Management Studies. In 2013, she was one of the top four scorers in the world on the Cambridge International Examinations. She was also making strides in athletics - she was a champion hurdler during her time in school.

Her path to activism began early. She began working on community development programs to provide libraries and books for schools, eventually working with “Youth Service America”. She has chaired a program with the “Model United Club” and worked at “The Warehouse Project” in the shanty area of Maradana. In 2014, Kavindya was selected to serve on Youth Service America's Global Youth Council, as well as appointed a member of the United Nations Youth Advisory Panel as a Gender Equality adviser.

Despite all the international accolades, Kavindya is a truly grounded and passionate human being focused on community development. Kavindya spoke to Daily Mirror Life about her role models, activism, youth based causes and more.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born in Kandy and raised in Deraniyagala till I moved to Colombo to start school. I was born to two incredible human beings whose life stories have shaped and defined who I am today. As of now I am working with Without Borders.

What brought about your love for activism? Did you have family members who influenced your decision to foray into the world of activism?

I wasn't born to a rich family that had money to throw around on showy social projects, but they have changed lives of so many people in their own way. My father was a police officer, a boxer and a rugby captain. He waged a silent battle against a thriving drug trade and was brutally murdered by the underworld for doing just that. I grew up watching my mother raise me up in a patriarchal society. It was difficult for a woman to survive and unimaginable for a single mother. She taught me the importance of taking risks and of trying the absurd. She made me realize that what society thought of me wasn't even worthy of time or attention. I guess I am a hybrid of them both.

Who are your role models?

My mother and father will obviously top the list. I've had the priceless opportunity of being mentored by incredibly strong women like Antonia De'Meo the previous deputy rep of UNICEF, Ms. Marlyn Dissanayake the past president of the Sri Lanka Girl Guides and Ms. Visaka Thilkaratne the current deputy chief commissioner. They never fail to inspire me. Our entire team draws much inspiration from Dr. Tissa Jinasena , whose guidance and support without which Without Borders would have stopped many months ago.

You are actively involved with "Youth Service America" and "United Nations Youth Advisory Panel". What are your roles in that capacity?

With Youth Services America I am a part of their Global Youth Council. With UNYAP I am an adviser on gender which involves feeding into and providing a youth perspective of  the various programs carried out by various UN entities. I actively feed into the work of the UNFPA.

You recently co-founded "Without Borders". Tell us a little about it.

Without Borders was a dream come true for the entire team. It brought together an incredibly passionate team together who all believed in the power of empowering communities to realize their potential. “Without Borders” focuses on sustainability over dependence. We believe that charity cripples and that empowerment is the next best answer. We provide a space for people to become change makers to take risks and to create real social impact.

In 2014, you won the "Harvard Global Trailblazer Award" as well as the inaugural "Queen's Young Leader Award". What was the experience like?

We were never recognized at a national level. We've gone through tough times from registration hiccups to funding issues. People thought that we were too radical and outspoken. Some questioned how we can start up something with zero funding. I guess both the "Harvard Global Trailblazer Award" and the "Queen's Young Leader Award" were perfect answers to all this. Plus both these opportunities helped us bring in a wealth of new ideas, training resources and networks that helped us deliver better programs that created real impact.

In your opinion, is there sufficient support for youth based causes in Sri Lanka?

No. We lack proper training programs and mentorship opportunities.

In terms of community development in the country, which areas do you think receive the least amount of attention?

Education. Our syllabuses are outdated, our teachers are underpaid and there is a lack of innovation in terms of both content and teaching methods. Our education system has the ability to create the next generation of innovative change makers but that potential is left untapped.

What advice would you give anyone looking to get involved in activism?

Activism should be action oriented it's something more mature and realistic than summit hopping and online campaigns. Be passionate about your cause and have clear cut goals.

What’s next for you?

With Without Borders at least for the next 5 years it will be about developing the organisation to be a fully fledged social enterprise.

Interviewed by Rihaab Mowlana