5 September 2024
‘Do you want to play?’ How could I say no? I was welcomed by a sea of smiling faces treading water on the hot muddy soils of Mumbai. Their enthusiasm was focused on brightly coloured football. With the shrill pitch of the whistle it mattered not that I had come from 4500 miles away…I was made to feel part of the team and how I loved taking part in the match that day!
Last month, during August, I had the amazing opportunity to spend 2 very special weeks volunteering at the OSCAR Foundation, a dedicated organisation which combines football and education to empower underserved children through physical fitness and the development of life skills to promote personal growth.
I spent time in several centres and had the opportunity to teach English and share experiences with other young people of a similar age to me. Although our lives were different in many respects, we shared an eagerness to learn from each other, have fun, make friends and improve ourselves.
One of my favourite things to do was to play football with Netra and the OSCAR children. Sport united us and afterwards the group talked about different life lessons, such as good sportsmanship.
I also got the chance to celebrate my first Indian Independence Day with the OSCAR Foundation. The children’s pride in teaching me their national anthem was testament to how they felt about their importance in their countries future. I loved listening to the vibrant singing and watching the colourful dancing performances, and felt honoured when asked to present dancing certificates to some of the young girls who took part.
Being a part of the OSCAR Foundation for those two weeks was a very enriching experience and a time for reflection to realise that a love of education and sport can unite and positively influence young people, despite their backgrounds. Being able to see such an amazing organisation in action has shown me how many lives are changed with the help of OSCAR. I very much hope to return.