The Potential of Sport for More Self-Confidence

Sheetal Darji and Lakhan Natha are two dedicated teachers at Virayatan Vidhyapith School in Gujarat. Their work with the From Field to Fanshop initiative follows the idea that sport is a unique platform for teaching important life skills and social messages. 

A holistic approach

Sheetal has noticed that her students are much more confident and enthusiastic about sport since the training sessions have begun. “They enjoy playing and perform well,” she says proudly. This newfound passion has led to increased participation in football competitions at state and district level. Families also enjoy coming along, which brings the communities together. 

The teacher emphasises the comprehensive impact of the initiative: “For example, our students learn more about football and sport through the programme. At the same time, they also learn about water as a resource, as well as health and hygiene skills and the importance of gender equality.” Many of the sport events include games on topics like the importance of hand washing and personal hygiene as well as water rationing. 

“We often end with a discussion where the children and young adults reflect on their actions during the game. This holistic approach improves their lifestyle and overall development,” says Sheetal. She would like to see the programme extended to other schools. 

Like his colleague, Lakhan has also observed remarkable changes since the start of the sport programme. “Before we started, the children only played on the school grounds without understanding the rules. But now, thanks to the guidance of their football coach, they know how the game works and how to treat each other with respect. Sometimes I see them playing on the street after school, where they invite other children and explain the rules to them as well,” he says. 

Big increase in self-confidence

According to Lakhan, the girls in his community are often shy, especially when they come to school from distant neighbourhoods. But thanks to his and Sheetal's work, their participation in sport has increased significantly. “We currently have a total of 18 girls in the team instead of four, and their self-confidence has improved enormously,” he says. This growth is a proud moment for the whole community and shows how gender inequality can be reduced. Now, with sufficient training and awareness, they are all playing.

Sheetal is happy that the girls are playing at the same level as the boys. The team has already won several tournaments at district and national level and even came first at a tournament in Bhachau, Gujarat, last year. “Now we can all be successful together,” she says. 

Teachers like Sheetal Darji and Lakhan Natha play a key role in empowering, encouraging and motivating the youth of Gujarat. Sheetal is convinced of the profound impact that a sport like football can have when it is taught alongside other activities: “I believe that if the project continues like this, there will be many more positive changes. Even more children will get involved in sport and fair play.”