Varanasi: As a significant step to promote the holistic development of youth through the practice of football in India, Varanasi Aurangabad NH-2 Tollways Private Limited (VAH), a part of ROADIS, a leading multinational company investing, developing, operating and managing global infrastructure assets headquartered in Madrid, has launched Social Sports Schools in Varanasi.
The initiative has been launched in collaboration with the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF) – the arm of the famous Real Madrid club that manages its social and educational programmes worldwide, and Khushi – an NGO founded by cricket icon Kapil Dev to support underprivileged children.
The initiative aims to train over 200 first-generation students from classes two to eight in social and human values, and provide them with the necessary tools to face challenges and reach their full potential. The programme will train both boys and girls to ensure equal opportunities. In the first phase, the programme has been launched in two schools – Prathmik Vidyalaya Duffy and Composite Vidyalaya Naveen in Varanasi. Through the programme, students will gain an experience that will meet their education, life skills, development and nutrition needs.
Eduardo Calvo, Global Communications and Corporate Responsibility Director, Rodis, expressed the importance of the programme, saying, “Sports play an integral role in our development. Through this initiative, we bring to the boys and girls of Varanasi a chance to experience a new life that is full of opportunities. With the RMF programme, we are now completing the full cycle of holistic development of children. We are launching the RMF programme in two schools where our Shiksha Plus programme for quality education is already in effect with joy. We believe that by equipping students with both physical and intellectual tools, we are paving the way for a generation of outstanding, socially aware and successful individuals.
The RMF programme is a transformational initiative that leverages the strengths of football to instill social and human values and promote a culture of integrity among young students, while simultaneously nurturing essential life skills and promoting important values such as respect, teamwork, autonomy, self-esteem, health, equality and motivation. To ensure international level training for the local coaches which include both male and female teachers, the coaches were trained on the Real Madrid method by a special football coach from RMF who came to Varanasi for a 3-day training camp. This camp empowered the local teachers to carry forward the program with the same commitment and excellence as RMF.
Julio Gonzalez Ronco, Managing Director, Real Madrid Foundation said, “Educational sports is one of the best ways to inculcate values of teamwork, collaboration, leadership, etc. With our initiative, we envision to promote a value-based culture of diversity, inclusion and equality. Our coaches include male and female coaches and our program trains both girls and boys. Creating a platform for equal opportunity is essential to build strong individuals and a strong nation.”
Harish Gosain, Executive Director, Khushi NGO, emphasised the collaborative spirit behind the initiative and said, “This partnership is a perfect blend of life skills and sports education. The Real Madrid Foundation’s expertise in football, combined with our deep understanding of the local community, ensures that students receive a holistic experience. We are proud to be part of a program that enhances athletic skills and prepares these young minds for the challenges of life.”
This program reflects VAH’s commitment to bringing about positive change through innovative and inclusive education. By investing in the holistic development of young minds, this initiative is contributing to building a brighter and more equitable future.
