PSD International Community Sport Programme 2022

Urgent appeal for funding

With the most recent wave of COVID-19 subsiding in India, we aim to continue the on-ground implementation of the program. To ensure the continuation of this program and start a new cohort in the academic year of 2022-23, PSD needs your help!

We are aiming to raise £5,000 so that we can continue engaging with participants and deepen the impact of the program with children from marginalized communities. This is how you can contribute to the program:

· £ 10.00 – will provide a personal sports kits and access to sports equipment and infrastructure for one child

· £ 35.00 – will help fund one child’s participation in the CSP over a period of one year, including access to 35 sessions led by trained facilitators, participation in a sports tournament and provision of a personal sports kit

· £ 325 – will fund an entire sports competition for 100 children

· £ 700 – will provide the sports equipment, infrastructure and sports kits required to conduct CSP in one school for the 2022-23 academic year

About PSD International and the CSP

The Community Sport Program (CSP) is a goal-oriented intervention led by Pro Sport Development (PSD), which works with children between the ages of 5-16 years from marginalized slum communities in Bhubaneswar,Odisha, one of the poorest states in India. Using a specially designed and age-appropriate multi-sport curriculum, the program aids in the holistic development of children, including their socio-emotional development and physical health and wellbeing, while also promoting gender equality. By developing children’s soft-skills and changing gender perceptions, we capacitate them to become transformational leaders and agents of change in their local communities.

Since its inception in 2015, the CSP has reached out to 3,149 children in Bhubaneswar, 46% of which have been girls.

The CSP was also recognised by the International Olympic Committee’s Sport and Active Society Commission in 2018 for its promotion of sport for all.

Impact

Despite the devastating second wave of COVID-19 in India in 2021 and continued school closures, the CSP was able to re-start with a new cohort of 242 children (52.4% girls) across two schools in Bhubaneswar, in July 2021. After conducting 70 online sessions till mid-November, the program successfully transitioned back to on-ground delivery in the last week of November and 12 on-ground sessions have been conducted till now. The program has made a marked impact on the lives of these children:

- The program has provided the children a safe space, both online and on-ground, to come and play together and enjoy sports-based activities with their peers. Children have especially noted being happy to be back on the playing field with their friends, which was missing during the the first year and a half of the pandemic.

- The children, especially girls, have been able to strengthen their soft-skills including leadership, teamwork and communication, while growing their confidence and self-esteem.

- Girls and boys have been able to develop a comfort based on mutual respect, equality and friendship through the mixed-gender sessions, further helping them question gender-based stereotypes and notions.