Team Spirit in Aali Village
Gulshan, India
The Young People's Initiative (YPI) programme is a life skills and sports (netball) programme for adolescent girls and young women which is implemented by Maitrayana (Maitrayana Charity Foundation). The YPI focuses on girls’ and women's leadership, participation, safeguarding, and creates ecosystems in which girls and women can exercise their rights. The YPI programme was implemented by Naz Foundation from 2006 - 2020. Over the past 15 years the programme has reached more than 130,000 girls across Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
My name is Gulshan and I am 19 years old. I am from Delhi in India and have been part of the Young People’s Initiative (YPI) programme in Delhi. I have been playing netball for the past seven years and I really enjoy playing it with my friends. Now I work part-time for a sporting goods retailer in Delhi.
I started playing netball when I was 11 years old. When I started playing netball, it was not a sport that was very well known and hence was not really appreciated by my family. Despite that, I have started playing in state championship matches and now my family does support me. I enjoy playing and working hard to achieve success through sport.
YPI involves the implementation of the life skills and netball programme Pragati in schools and communities in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Girls gain knowledge, learn skills, life skills, acquire positive attitudes, behaviour and confidence that will allow them to make decisions in their lives regarding their health, safety, education, and careers.
What did you try to capture with the photos? Was there a wider meaning?
The photos were taken at the Aali Village community hall in New Delhi, India. I showed girls and boys from my community. Our captain Anjali plays in the goal attack (GA) position and when we played in the YPI's Community Netball League (an inter-club netball league for YPI alumni) we were unable to reach the finals. Despite that, during the entire tournament she showed strong leadership skills and it was really inspiring for all of us to watch her play and encouraged us to keep playing. She also handles tense situations with a very cool mind and with complete awareness of the match situation. She motivates me to play better.
My intention was to show different moments of our games and practice sessions. I tried to show the beauty of our game and community and the way we play on the field as a team. I wanted to provide a glimpse of women in sports and the practice sessions for a tournament.
I also tried to take a photo of the entire team together before we started playing. It is my favourite because it shows the spirit of the team and captures how we play together as a team and stand together to keep each other motivated. My intention was to capture the happiness and the general feeling of the players when they are playing netball.
What role does netball play in your community and Indian society? Is netball an inclusive sport that anyone can play?
Netball is a sport that I believe is very inclusive. This is because it is easy to learn the rules and start playing. Both girls and boys can play netball together. Netball was not a very popular sport when I started playing, and it is still not as popular as football and hockey but it is a sport that is now gaining more popularity than before. My family also supports me playing now and that makes me happy.
What are the opportunities for women and girls to play sports in your community and in India?
I believe that in India there is not a lot of opportunity for women and girls to play. Investment in sports for women and girls is very low. Girls and women face many social and financial barriers to playing sport in India.
What impact has the YPI program had on you and your community?
The YPI programme has made me the person that I am today. It has taught me to communicate through sports and motivated me to be a sportsperson. It has made me more confident and helped me develop my teamwork skills. The programme has also taught me about important life skills and given me a space to express myself and discuss problems that we as women face in our everyday lives. The Young People’s Initiative Programme has had a big impact on me and my life in general.
What does netball mean to you?
Netball is a way to find my happiness and enjoy my own company and my own capabilities. Netball is important to me because it has helped me express myself in different ways. I feel very happy when I play netball.
What ambitions do you have for the future?
My ambition for the future is to become a successful netball player. I also want to help other girls and women in my community to play netball and motivate them to achieve more through playing netball. My focus is to improve participation in netball in my community.
What do you think the future looks like for sports in your community and country?
The future of sport in India is looking promising but there needs to be more investment in it. There should be more coaches recruited and more work done to make people understand the importance of playing sports for your physical and mental health. This way other young girls would see sport as a possible career plan or option.
