The day was filled with all the 'S' factors, Sunny on a Sunday for Sports with Sincere efforts, Soaring & Smashing Sportsmanship Spirit roaring aloud, Smiling victorious winners and the Skilful execution of the event. It was Simply Superb Sports day. The day 27-03-2022, when it all started, the first ever Ek-Asha Annual Sports Day at Jharagogua, Deogarh, Odisha.
Sports inculcates team spirit, develops strategic & analytical thinking, leadership skills, goal setting and risk taking. Fit and healthy individuals lead to healthy society. Our objective is to reinvigorate the culture of sports among the rural children.
Over 110 students from all our ThinkCenters in Deogarh District covering 7 villages, participated with plentiful of enthusiasm and excitement. The Ek Asha Sports day had a good deal of fun games in store like the universal favorite Sack race, the amusing frog jumping, the tiresome skipping, and the stamina examining running race".
Ready, steady and go...
Children were made aware of the event, a month in advance. This gave the them enough time to train and prepare both mentally and physically. They were super energized and spent hours in the field running barefoot, practicing hard. The volunteers had altogether different tasks in hand. They joyfully played around with the colours, shapes, alphabets and sticky-icky glue and made some attractive "Ek-Asha Sports day " banners. This was how, the pre Sports day preps looked and sounded like ! Super cool ,Super charged.
The Sports day was not only a day destined for sports and games, all our volunteers spread the Spirit of unity.
The Clock Ticks:
Their enthusiasm saw no boundary that morning. They were all up and gathered around the pickup points waiting for their bumpy ride in the auto rickshaw. Mother earth was eagerly waiting for the hundreds little feet to invade her and ruin the everlasting silence. The silence was soon broken to the cheers, giggles, chitter-chatters, friendly chuckles, the arrival of innocent noisy kids, letting the ground revive again.
The Games:
There was not even a moment to miss. The kids, the volunteers, the villagers , the guests of honor all were filled with energy and laughter from head to heels. What Fun!!!
The games, the rules were all explained thoroughly to the kids by the respective volunteers. Children were divided into groups. The positions on the marked start line were taken. Ready, Steady, get set and go...blows the whistle and the tiny invasion began.
The frog jumps were incredible, and filled with enjoyment. What a splendid spectacle it was! Same holds good for the "Sack Hop" as I name it; the jolly, happy faces , loud cheers of the kids took all the adults to "a down the memory lane" ride. Amazing isn't it?
The Spectators:
Where there is an event, there are spectators. The onlookers of pure entertainment, marveling performances while boosting the participants spirits. Nearly, 150 villagers not only gathered to witness this remarkable day but to discuss about the future of their children's education. The parents were given the chance to ask any questions they had in their mind regarding their children's wellbeing in the educational sector. To answer their queries tactfully a group of 30 individual volunteers were present, including Sambit bhai, the revered founder of Ek Asha Trust and his most trusted and dedicated team.
The Rewards and Refreshments:
Alls well that ends well. And could not imagine a better way to end the Sports Day than rewarding the winners. Around 50 exciting rewards were awarded to the blossoming budding sports stars. And we could see the smiling grins on each kids' face. Everyone a winner.
On a bright, brilliant, sunny day one would definitely crave for water, flavored traditional liquids to quench the thirst and keep all hydrated. There was an abundant arrangement of fruits, drinks even breakfast and lunch for one and all present in the premises. Tummies full, minds full and hearts full, in short a truly happy someone.
This day was an epic moment for the entire team of Ek Asha for those on the ground and also for those who reside miles away.We were so proud and overwhelmed by the flooding of emotions. Why? Because the kids of that region had their first, very first ever Sports day. Not only are these little tots deprived of basic education, they are missing out on all the fun and laughter they truly deserve. One dream which became our dream has taken the first leap towards its fulfillment.
At the end everyone returned full of big beaming smiles and telling stories of the fun and games. We wish, one day the dream that a thousand eyes weaved together will see the colors of success.