Bridging Social and Educational Barriers through Sport
To bring about the healthiest combination of academic and extra-curricular activities is one of the key goals of the Human Development Foundation (HDF). The foundation believes in making education a joyful experience for the children so that they apply themselves whole-heartedly and completely to the acquisition of education. That healthy mind is a product of a healthy body is universally acknowledged and is made a part of the agenda of the HDF. The sporting events also facilitate a gathering where the children are uninhibited and can closely bond together and associate with each other.
With the above agenda in mind, HDF organized a sporting event, “Youth Sports Festival” in collaboration with the Sports Promotion Club in which students from different social strata participated and interacted in a healthy environment. The students from main stream schools such as Beacon House, City, Head Start, Roots, Lahore Grammar School, HDF International School (Rawalpindi), as well as students from HDF formal and non-formal schools of Islamabad and Mardan region participated in the events of the three day long sports event. The games included relay race, 400 m, 200 m and 100 m races as well as football and athletics. Students from all different schools and backgrounds participated with zeal and enthusiasm in all these events.
Rehman, participating from school in Mardan expressed his excitement and enthusiasm saying that this was his first foray out of his region and that the opportunity has allowed him not only to mingle with students from different areas but also to compete and play with them. A female student from Lahore expressed similar sentiments when she was asked about her experiences in the Youth Sports Festival. Being her first visit outside Lahore, she was extremely excited and was looking forward to more of such interactions. Tehreem Khan participating from Beacon House School System also expressed the opinion that it was a unique experience for her to intermingle with students from non-formal schools and that it gave them a great opportunity to learn more about the students hailing from a different social background. Citing it as a particularly unique learning experience, she said that she was looking forward to more such occasions.
Sports and other extra-curricular activities inculcate a team-spirit as well as self-discipline amongst the students and allow them a greater self-confidence. The excursion for the children and teachers also proved to be entertaining and engaging and for most of those involved, it became an unforgettable event.
The Youth Sports Festival facilitated an informal interaction between teachers of different regions serving under HDF as well as with teachers of the other main-stream schools. The parents of students were also present during the event and it proved to be an exercise in confidence building for students as well as for the parents to see their children perform in a competitive environment. The interaction allowed students and teachers to learn about the respective strengths and weaknesses of each other and to learn about the values and practices that others practice.