The US Consulate General Kolkata in collaboration with a New Delhi based NGO Shakti Vahini and other supporting institutions working for the protection of Child Rights is all set to host the first of its kind women’s leadership and hockey camp match today at the South-Eastern Railway Stadium, Hatia (SERSA stadium).
The US Department of State’s flagship Sports Envoy Program funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) in Washington D.C. has brought a seven–member team to Ranchi from Middlebury Athletics College in Vermont, USA for a Women’s Leadership and Hockey camp to train 100 tribal girls selected across six districts of Jharkhand namely Simdega, Gumla, Khunti, Ranchi, Lohardaga and Chaibasa. All the selected girls were mentored by Savitri Purti and Sumrai Tete.
The US Department of State used field hockey skills development and leadership building to empower 13-18-year-old girls living in areas vulnerable to human trafficking and child marriage. The hockey skills training occurred at SERSA stadium and the girls were housed at the Khel Gaon Complex.
Jay Treloar, the Deputy Director of the American Center in Kolkata during the press conference organised here on Friday said, “Sports build character. The Field Hockey Project of Eastern India uses field hockey skills development and leadership building to empower the participants living in areas vulnerable to human trafficking and child marriage. Empowerment is a process. Through the process, an individual becomes an agent of change. Sports can have a huge role to play in this transformation.”
Further discussing about the project, Treloar said, “We were inspired by the popularity of field hockey in Jharkhand, especially among women. Field hockey is also very popular in the US. We are overjoyed that both Indian and U.S. field hockey players and coaches have this opportunity to learn from each other on the same field.” With an aim to promote the empowerment of women and girls, foster youth leadership and development while strengthening resilience against violence, extremism and threats of trafficking including increasing English education and academic opportunities for vulnerable and those youths at risk, the project was launched.
The project was formally started on November 25, 2018 marking the beginning of the global commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence, is implemented by the U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata, in partnership with New Delhi –based non-governmental organization Shakti Vahini and with the support from Jharkhand Commission for Protection of child Rights (JSCPCR), Jharkhand Police, South Eastern Railway Ranchi Division and the respective District Hockey Federation.
According to the organizers, participating in sports builds self-esteem, challenges gender stereotypes, cultivates leadership, and enhances health and well-being. The camp’s field hockey training is augmented by informational sessions on violence against women and children, combating human trafficking, and leadership building in the Khel Gaon Complex.