Based in India, Khelshala is committed to enhance the future of underprivileged children by building life skills through sports and academics.
By introducing a lifetime sport like squash or tennis, Khelshala attracts children to the programme and helps them develop teamwork, responsibility and character.
The programme aims to help its students discover a new way of life to ‘graduate’ out of their vicious circle of social and economic deprivation. They do this by offering opportunities and education on healthy living.
From keeping active through squash, to introducing responsibility, education in wellness and mental well-being, good nutrition and nurturing talent and passion into future career prospects. At Khelshala, the focus is on the individual. This means changing lives for the better, creating positive life experiences and fostering a strong and bright future for children who otherwise wouldn’t have these opportunities.
Most of their students come from low-income families, their parents usually working as Rickshaw pullers, working on farms or as ‘daily wage earners’. Their typical income is around INR 5000-10000/month, USD 75-150/month.
“Why sport? Because sport brings the best out of you, whether you succeed or fail” Satinder Bajwa (BAJ), former Harvard University squash coach, & Founder, Khelshala.
Through squash, Khelshala develop individuality, responsibility and character. Many of their players will compete in the 2019 Indian Junior Squash Championship with some of them being contenders challenging for places among the top 10.
How does it work?
Khelshala engage children during after school hours at one of our two facilities located in Attawa and Majra to give them a platform to have a meaningful social interactions through sport. They offer guidance and help to complete their homework, encourage them to read books, gain basic computer literacy skills and discuss recent news. To combat malnutrition, they offer supplemental nourishment in the form of fruits, milk and vitamins.
The Khelshala Student Pathway:
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the priorities of Khelshala had temporarily changed to make sure that the basic health and well-being of the families in the programme were protected. This included the creation of a food drive, provision of medical supplies and also the distribution of mobile phones so that the children could keep up with their studies.
If you would like to support Khelshala and keep up to date with the fantastic work that they do, please do follow their social media pages below. You can also donate to their organisation on their website also linked below.
