BookASmile, a charitable initiative run by online ticketing platform BookMyShow is sponsoring a visit of young football players from backward areas of Jharkhand to France for participating in Street Football World Festival, 2016, an official event of ongoing Euro 2016. Farzana Cama Balpande, Head, BookASmile talked to The Pioneer about their work in Jharkhand and future plans regarding the State.
Tell me about ‘BookASmile’. How does it workIJ
BookASmile is a charity initiative by online ticketing platform BookMyShow to raise funds primarily for connecting unprivileged section to culture, art, culture, sports. We are completely a charity initiative and not a NGO.
When customers come to book a ticket with BookMyShow, they are asked to donate Re 1 for charitable causes. This donation is entirely voluntary. We also have an internal system where our employees donate to help in times of calamities like the Chennai floods.
What issues do you work on under BookASmileIJ
We try to bring sports, movies, art, theatre and cultural activities to people from the unprivileged sections, things that we take for granted. We have been working with children, we have been working with senior citizens.
In case of children, we believe that education does not come from books alone so we are working on alternative education in our endeavours focussing on children.
What are your intervention areas in JharkhandIJ
We are working with YUWA in Jharkhand, which works for teaching football to girls from backward areas, so they are YUWA Girls. This year YUWA will be taking them to two international football events – Street Football World Festival 2016 in France and Torneo Dornosti Cup in Spain.
This has allowed the girls from Jharkhand, who usually are limited to their homes and villages, to experience the world. Most of them now speak English too.
How many players were selected for Street Football World Festival from JharkhandIJ What was the process for selectionIJ
A team of four has been selected from Jharkhand by YUWA another team has been selected by Dream a Dream, another NGO active in Bengaluru. YUWA selected this team on the basis of their performance.
The team from Jharkhand comprises of both girls and boys. YUWA initially began to select girls for this team, but the boys were motivated too, watching girls play football.
How will BookASmile change the lives of children you are working withIJ
BookASmile brings a facet of life to these children that will not come in their lives usually, things that we take for granted. For example, watching a movie may be a common thing for us but it is a significant activity for them.
Are there any plans to introduce these children to formal education along with the alternative forms of education you are presently working withIJ
YUWA is setting a school of its own for its YUWA Girls, with financial support from BookASmile. Along with formal education, this school will also teach theatre to its students, and has a rich library and a computer centre.
What are plans for future in JharkhandIJ
Presently we are working only with YUWA but we are willing to work with other charitable organisations. We will like to support other NGOs and their cause with BookASmile initiative