Sports For Underprivileged Children

We are Sanaya Varma, Shiv Kapoor, Nilay Solanki and Alaa El Bouzrati ; grade 11 students at the American Embassy School, New Delhi who are very passionate about sports and believe it is an integral part of a holistic education. At private schools, we have many inter-school competitions that we participate in, be it swimming, track, or tennis. There is a certain thrill in being able to compete with children from other schools; however, most children from underprivileged backgrounds have never experienced this thrill or even participated in a sports event. So much talent is going undiscovered! We may just find our next Hima Das!

We are now organizing our next event–Khel Yatra#4–on February 15th, 2020 at the newly renovated track Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Gurgaon. This time we plan to hold sports for a cause: encouraging the children to join the climate strike across the world. All schools will be invited to prepare a 5 minute presentation (in any format) that will be presented at the stadium between events in order to raise awareness for climate change. Each of us are responsible for our own contributions to the planet, and the more we talk about it, the more awareness is generated. What better way than a Track event? Clean air is essential to participation in outdoor sports and activities.

Khel Yatra #4 will be an Inter-School Track & Field Competition for children from the underprivileged schools who will be more aware about the climate change and take a pledge to spread the awareness within their school and community.

As we are all concerned about the environment and air pollution, the event will be plastic free; therefore, there will be no flex/vinyl backdrops or hoarding. A collection drive will also be held on that day for low value plastic and MLP to track the amount we divert from the landfill.

The previous three Khel Yatras have been immense successes, and this event has rapidly become something the NGO children look forward to participating in. Additionally, Khel Yatra has aided in creating prodigious opportunities that these children may not get otherwise. In fact, during Khel Yatra#1, two boys were scouted and are now part of the Gurgaon and Haryana teams. Without Khel Yatra, they may have never have gotten the chance to be recognized for their incredible talents.

Hosting a Khel Yatra for 300 student costs Rs. 150,000:

• Stadium Hire: Rs. 38,000
• T-shirts for all participants, coaches, and organizers: Rs. 35,000
• Music System and chairs/tables (needed for the sprinting as well): Rs. 30,000
• Track Officials Fees (required to oversee the timers and photo finish): Rs. 20,000
• Food and drinks for 350 people: Rs. 20,000
• Miscellaneous: Rs.7000

We would greatly appreciate a donation to our cause to help us raise these funds in order to give these underprivileged children an opportunity we ourselves take for granted! No amount is too little. We hope you believe in our cause.

No donation amount is too small. We can only accept donations from Indian banks or credit cards. No foreign currency can be accepted.

Thank you for believing in us and supporting our cause.

Regards,

Sanaya, Shiv, Nilay and Alaa