I have to admit that my behaviour was not good at first. I would use bad words and would not respect people. Because of OSCAR Foundation,  that changed. My football skills and techniques have also improved. I feel that I have become more disciplined now. My mom is my single parent. She looks after all my things and struggles a lot in order to give me a better life. Today I know that my mom is doing a lot for me, and I also know that I should behave responsibly and help my mom in all ways possible.

Omkar Salekar(13) is a part of the OSCAR-SSE U-13 team. More than 60 children with footballing talents are a part of the OSCAR-SSE project.

I cried out of happiness the day I came to know that Priya was selected for Dana Cup. I feel blessed that I have daughters who are so special. Even our relatives who questioned me when I decided to support my girls to play football, now say it was the best decision.

Jyoti Rathod works as a housemaid and lives in the Ambedkar Nagar community in Mumbai. Her daughter Priya Rathod (14) was a part of the team that won Dana Cup 2019 in Denmark. 

My daughter Mamta has changed a lot after joining OSCAR. Besides playing football, she is equally focused in her studies. Her behaviour at home has also changed. I feel that she is more patient and understands things. The best part is that Mamta has realised herself that she has to develop and improve herself to have a better future. She equally distributes her time between playing, studies and helping me with my daily chores.

Kiran Prajapati’s (40) daughter Mamta has been to the UK and Denmark to play football tournaments. She was part of the team that won Dana Cup 2019 tournament in Denmark. 

In spite of the challenges that I faced, I continued my studies. And the support that I got from OSCAR was tremendous. Today, I am the only girl in my family who has completed her education. I have proved my parents wrong. I have shown them that I am nowhere less than a boy.

Rekha Rathod (21) is a Toy Centre teacher, and currently pursuing TYBCom from Siddharth college (Mumbai). She aspires to become a professional teacher. 

When I was with Xavi, he told me that he worked really hard to become the captain of Barcelona FC team and shared his memories of winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He told me that if I practice everyday, with absolute commitment, I can achieve success in life. His words have inspired me to remain dedicated and work hard.

Umesh Rathod (14) is studying in 9th standard from Our lady of dolours high school (Mumbai). He aspires to become a professional footballer. Through OSCAR Foundation, he got the opportunity to meet football legend Xavi Hernandez.

Playing for OSCAR Foundation gave me many opportunities. I have attended a training camp with the Karnataka Sporting Association, and participated in Mumbai City FC’s Grassroots Training Programme. I currently play for the Kenkre Football Academy in Mumbai and want to enter the sports business so that I can play a role in the development of sports at the grassroots level.

Kishan Jadhav (21) is pursuing MBA in sports business management studies from GISB (Mumbai) on a scholarship from OSCAR Foundation and GISB. He aspires to become a successful sports entrepreneur. 

I received a scholarship from Global Institute of Sports Business (GISB) and OSCAR fundraised a part of the tuition fees for the course. At GISB, I am the only girl in the class and I am really enjoying learning about various aspects in sports business.

Poonam Gautam(19) is pursuing  MBA in sports business management studies from GISB (Mumbai). She coaches a girls’ football football team in her community and aspires to work in sports industry. 

My biggest achievement is when I got to travel to the UK. I never thought that I would travel to a foreign country, and play with players from another country. The UK trip boosted my confidence levels in a way that now I don’t worry about what people would talk about me and whether they would judge me. I speak and give my opinions without any hesitation.

Anshu Kacchap (16) has currently taken her HSC boards exams at Ranchi, Jharkhand. She aspires to become a professional football coach.