Using sports as a tool for inclusion
Persons with disabilities often face societal barriers and disability evokes negative perceptions and discrimination in many societies. As a result of the stigma associated with disability, persons with disabilities are generally excluded from education, employment and community life which deprives them of opportunities essential to their social development, health and well-being. Sport can help reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with disability because it can transforms community attitudes about persons with disabilities by highlighting their skills and reducing the tendency to see the disability instead of the person.
Making play as part of education
SHI has been running child development project in different parts of Bangladesh Including slums and Rohingya refugee camps since its inception to develop children through football, Dodgeball, Table tennis, traditional games and physical activities. Sports is the key to physical, mental, intellectual and social wellbeing of children. It impacts hugely on almost every developmental aspect of children’s lives holistically and with multi-faceted ways. It is sad but true that sports is rapidly disappearing from schools. The children who play sports have more friends, works better in team, more disciplined and hardworking, has higher integrity, higher self-esteem, delve less into negative thoughts.
Empowering girls through sports
Sports provide girls not only physical and mental strength, along with confidence but also a way to become more self-dependent to break the social barriers to live happy and healthy life. SHI offers safe spaces for girls on the field, applying our methodology and tools to empower girls enabling them to make informed decisions to live a life they value. SHI challenges social taboo and stereotypes on girls sports participation, engage, train girls to create impact at grassroots level by empowering girls and changing harmful attitudes and norms in their local communities. Beside Football and Rugby training, SHI is empowering girls through self-defense training against sexual abuse.
Engaging youths in positive
development
Development of a country fully relies on youth. Unfortunately the number of drug addicts, crime and suicide in Bangladesh is increasing significantly among the young people. SHI believes that the practical approach of sports can change the whole scenario. Sports can create space where everyone can come and meet people, get connected and support each other, work as a team, have practical lesson of failure is okay in like. Through Practical approach of training youth learn leadership, confidence and communication.
Developing coaches of the future
The coach is the decisive factor as to whether an athlete has good experiences in sports or quits in frustration. A good coach is one who can communicate effectively with his/her charges, motivate them, provide leadership, is ethical, has a deep understanding of good sporting principles, constantly seeks to upgrade oneself, and has an aptitude for planning and organization. SHI seeks to ensure that athletes are always under the guidance of quality coaches. SHI understands the value of community coaches and took the initiatives to develop coaching culture at grassroots level. SHI is continuously organizing workshop and training for coaches.
Promoting Financial Independence
SHI is mainly working with the underprivileged people in the society. SHI understands the importance of income sourcing activities to continue sport training. With proper support and wider network of SHI can help people to have skills training for employment or self-income generation.
