Volunteer Spotlight: Sachini Kumi Wickramanayaka

This month we’re shinning a spotlight on NDC Volunteer Sachini Kumi Wickramanayaka 🌟

Kumi was the recipient of our 2022 Prince George’s Volunteer of the Year award. She went above and beyond when we partnered with the town of Cottage City and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission to reimagine the park by listening to the community’s wants and needs.

Kumi shared with us that she was most excited about the community engagement aspects related to the projects she worked on. “We had the chance to engage with a variety of stakeholders from the community ... just listening to everyone’s vision for their neighborhood was very inspiring.”

After the extensive community engagement experience she received volunteering with NDC, her outlook on community-led design changed. “I believe that with an open mind and an understanding that everyone is an expert from their lived experiences, such engagement and collaborative processes can become a cradle to innovative ideas and solutions.”

If you’re interested in donating your time and expertise to supporting community-led change like Kumi did, check out our current volunteer opportunities on our website!