India: opportunities for children through sport
In the northeast of India plagued by crises, Sport brings children together whose families have been hostile to each other for decades.
“I’m so proud of my daughter,” says Hechin’s father, “she plays football so well!” Hechin is 14 years old and has been playing for two years. They play here in mixed teams: girls and boys, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and children of traditional religions, long-time residents and newcomers. Hechin especially loves the “circle”: “After training, we sit in a circle and talk: how we felt if someone didn’t pass the ball in time or if a pass went astray. We apologize if someone is upset. And then everything is fine. We’re a team!”
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"We talk. And then everything is fine."
This is far from a given in northeastern India: For decades, conflicts have simmered between the state and ethnic groups, between religions, and between immigrants and locals. Thousands of families have lost loved ones in the fighting. Mistrust and fear pervade the neighborhoods. Everyone loses: The economy stagnates, and people are desperately poor. Children and young people have virtually no opportunities. Schools are poorly equipped, lacking books and teachers, classrooms and toilets. Many drop out of school at 12 or 13 and seek employment.
"We apologize if someone is upset. And then everything is fine. We are a team!"
Terre des Hommes project partners in ANT – Action Northeast Trust – are now creating better opportunities: Teachers in 48 schools are receiving professional development to make their lessons more engaging and age-appropriate. School libraries encourage reading. Career counseling provides guidance for young people. And a sports program has been established: 25 teams of 20 children each play soccer or frisbee. ANT is training 200 girls to become coaches. Hechin is one of them. Soon she will be coaching a team of younger children. "Before, only boys could play soccer. Now we girls can play too!" she says, adding, "Sport makes us strong, all of us together!" During her training, Hechin is learning not only the rules of the game, but also how to speak in front of groups, motivate others, and resolve conflicts. Her mother is convinced that soccer is a wonderful thing: "The children aren't just hanging around anymore. They come home from school, have something to eat, and then it's off to training. Now they have a goal!"