Vincent Ferrer’s Rural Development Trust (Anantapur) and La Liga have recently completed the first course for 20 girls (under-15) from rural communities for a one-year financial and training scholarship to stay and train at the Anantapur Sports Village.
The residential academy not only provides them with the opportunity to improve their skills that contribute to personal development but also the opportunity to pursue their dream of playing football at a higher level and have the possibility of continuing their career in the sport, Sai Krishna, director of Anantapur Sports Academy, informed on Friday.
“The girls, under the project, have the option of training in high-quality sports facilities, with good nutrition and proper educational follow-up, which is inaccessible to the majority of the population in such regions,” he said.
“All the girls have been enrolled in formal schools and had classes in social skills, computer skills, health care. They are also being given sports equipment and training sessions.”
After the first course, one of the main impacts of the residential academy is that more girls want to become involved in football, as they see that there are increasing opportunities in the game, he explained.
“The most difficult challenge has been getting girls involved in sporting activities. In Anantapur, none of them played any sports. Currently, 45% of the participants in all projects are girls. A paradigm and mentality shift necessary to move the culture towards tolerance and equality is happening,” Sai Krishna said.
“It is impressive to see how, in just one year, the academic performance and educational skills of girls in this region have improved,” said Olga de la Fuente, director of the La Liga Foundation, said.
“We are confident that through football and formal education, great strides will be made in improving the quality of life of these girls in the future,” added Olga.
