The 2nd of September 2023 was indeed a memorable and wonderful day full of energy, excitement and fun. I was thrilled by the energy, courage and confidence the players displayed and the sportsmanship, teamwork and respect that the girls have for themselves and others.
Faith Foundation celebrated the National Sports Day at Umktieh village, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya in collaboration with Saura Mandala Foundation and India Ultimate. A total number of 130 people participated in the program. On this day, adolescent girls from the Chief Minister’s Youth Centre, Saura Mandala Foundation, and Faith Foundation came together to participate in a friendly match.
National Sports Day is observed anually on 29th August to honour the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, a legendary figure in the world of sports, especially hockey. The day not only pays tribute to his remarkable contribution but also highlights the great importance of sports in societies.
“I am very grateful to be invited as the chief guest for this important event!” exclaimed the President of the Ri-Bhoi District Sports Association, Mr. R. Briswell Shadap. “Faith Foundation had done excellent work for the past ten years especially on being able to organize different kinds of programs for the well-being of these three communities. Even though I haven’t heard about Frisbee but I am very happy that this organization has been able to introduce the sport to these communities.” He warmly invited the organization to approach his office (Nongpoh) at any time in case we needed any help in terms of promoting our work on Frisbee.
The girls were really happy to receive sports shoes from the organization through the donation of SauraMandala Foundation and other individual donors. Their expressions when receiving the shoes stated their utmost feeling of happiness about it.
If you are wondering who won the match. Well! For us, this did not matter. What matters most is being able to witness their courage, competitive spirit and lending their hands to their opponent during falls and injuries in between the matches. The girls hung out and made friends with the girls from the other organization. It was seen during the spirit circle, that they praised each other for their active participation and looked forward to having another match with them in the future. This sport is bridging organizations and communities across districts of Meghalaya.
Faith Foundation was also able to introduce Frisbee to three different schools in Ri Bhoi District of Meghalaya to promote and extend our work namely in Ferrando Higher Secondary School, Umroi Presbyterian Higher Secondary School, and Nongrah Umroi Secondary School. They were invited to celebrate this day with us to understand the sport better. Witnessing the positivity and oneness the sport is bringing, we are hoping that this community of Frisbee players in this part of region will continue to grow. Furthermore, we invited these girls with the aim to increase their interest for the sport, also to signify sports as a significant role in maintaining physical well being, mitigating stress and fostering one’s personal growth, but most importantly to foster confidence and leadership roles among adolescent girls.