Children thrive at healthy athletic competition in India
CCFC program participants learn first-hand about their right to play
By Lipi Jobson, communications manager, India
INDIA — Participating is more important than winning or losing; that’s what hundreds of children from all culture classes learned at a District Level Sports Meet at the Virudhunagar government stadium in India.
“Children, even from the adolescent stage, used to be very much secluded and involved in anti-social activities,” said Arunothayam Erskine, project director of local Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC) partner organization, SPEECH, explaining the importance of the Sports Meet. The event created opportunities for children to showcase new talents, access rural sports grounds, develop social skills and more.
From track and field to volleyball and football, children were excited to compete with their peers. “We play in our school, but I have never experienced running in such a big [stadium]… I always dreamt of pursuing a career in sports,” said Mahalakshmi, one of the day's young participants. “I see this event as a stepping stone to realizing my dreams.”
To learn more about how children in India’s program areas experience their right to play, visit facebook.com/ccfcindia, and show support by liking the page.
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About Christian Children's Fund of Canada:
Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC) is a child-focused international development organization and a member of ChildFund Alliance. For more than 50 years, CCFC has been helping children and families of all faiths move from poverty to self-reliance. CCFC supports children and communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Nicaragua and Paraguay. Currently, CCFC has almost 50,000 children sponsored, benefiting nearly 400,000 people around the world.