Sangeetha’s aspirations now extend beyond rag-picking

Twelve year old Sangeetha comes from a Dalit (Untouchables) family residing in the slum community of Uppuguda in Old Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Born and bought up in a family of illiterate rag pickers, she has never been to school and spends her day collecting plastic and metal items. Her daily schedule comprises of taking care of her younger brother, selling the scrap and performing other household chores.

Initially, she was a bit hesitant about attending the Sports for Development sessions being conducted by Magic Bus in her community. “I was thrilled and scared”, she says. “…  an inner me was stopping me from joining them… as there were other children who come in good dresses and also go to school and I neither have good clothes nor do I go to school, as we are very poor …but when Arun bhaiya stood next to me in a circle and played name game… I felt happy and since then I had been coming to play”.

The Sports for Development sessions are helping her understand the importance of keeping herself clean and tidy, and is empowering her to be more aware of her health. Despite not having any aims and aspirations in the past, Sangeetha now dreams of becoming a Community Sports Coach at Magic Bus.

Your donation, Mark and Lisbet, would enable Magic Bus to provide a year of Sports for Development sessions to Sangetha, and help her make new friends and become more ambitious with her life. Thank you!