|
A proud moment for the sports team facilitated by Seva Mandi as they achieved an extraordinary success at the Rural Olympics hosted by the Government of Rajasthan. These youth sports team are trained and supported by Seva Mandir. Eight talented teams, comprising over 1,400 enthusiastic students, 630 of whom were girls, took part in the games. The teams participated in three sports – kho kho, volleyball and football – showcasing their exceptional skills.
|
|
In a landmark achievement, every member of the teams emerged victorious at the village level. Having performed impressively in a competitive setting, the young athletes did tremendously well and reached till district level games. These sports stars are a credit to themselves and the dedicated coaches who trained them. Their drive and passion serve as an inspiration to their peers as well as their wider community.
|
| Creating Social Impact through Sport
We aim to increase the engagement of young people through sports in the village and support them in self-development. By utilizing team sports to bring young people together, a safe space is created to help young people cultivate their interests and channel their energy while encouraging physical and social development. Being involved in football helps young people to build confidence and hone important life skills, such as teamwork, discipline, and goal setting. Yuva Manch, village level groups formed by Seva Mandir provides within the villages a platform for the young to voice their opinions and play an active role in the development of their home communities.
|
.jpeg) |
.jpeg) |
Seva Mandir is working to unite rural youth across boundaries of gender, class, caste, and religion to create football teams. For girls, playing football is promoting gender equality and breaking gender stereotypes. When girls play football, they are breaking gender barriers by participating in a traditionally male-dominated sport. Parents of girls, initially hesitant, now come to see the matches and encourage their girls. The activity is fostering empowerment in girls, which has the potential to extend to other areas of their lives.
|
.jpeg) |
|
Over the past 2-3 years, the girls ’ football team in Rama village supported through Seva Mandir has demonstrated significant prowess in their sport, earning both respect and admiration. Initially the girls were hesitant to play and their parents felt the same. Slowly, with regular capacity building by the youth team and technical support from the coach, all the fear and resistance vanished and girls enjoyed and learned the same with full spirit.
The team ’s journey reached a pinnacle in 2023 when they clinched victories at the village and block levels and triumphed in a competition organized by government of Rajasthan and defeated Udaipur’s urban school with a convincing 2-0 score in the final.
What sets the Rama Block team apart is their remarkable teamwork and unwavering sports spirit, which has propelled them to victory. Their dedication to the game and support from their hard-working coaches and parents have carried them forward in their journey to success. The team ’s victory emphasizes the immense value of providing a supportive and inclusive space for girls to excel in sports. We will continue to work on creating these spaces so that more young girls are inspired and benefit from the transformative power of team sports.
|
|