MADRID, 14 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The first course in the female residential soccer academy set up by LaLiga, the LaLiga Foundation and the Vicente Ferrer Foundation in India has come to an end, in a season in which a total of 20 girls under the age of 15 have been able to Develop your passion in the facilities of Anantapur Sports Village.
This project, in which the Vicente Ferrer Foundation participates through the Rural Development Trust (RDT) and LaLiga through its foundation and its women’s football department, has welcomed 20 girls under the age of 15 from the rural communities of Anantapur.
The participants have received training in both sports and social skills, and have received an economic and educational scholarship to reside and train for one year at the Anantapur Sports Village facilities.
Thus, these girls have had access to a complete education and a way to pursue their dream of playing football thanks to having technicians and materials, all combined with a good diet, something very complicated for the majority of the local population.
According to LaLiga, the girls have received training in social skills, computers, health care and have been enrolled in regular schools. In addition, there is a training development plan so that the most talented participants can try to continue their football career.
90% OF GIRLS HAVE MANAGED TO PASS THEIR EXAMS
The objective of this project is to provide more opportunities for sports development and create new employment options in India related to football, thus promoting its growth in the country.
The results presented by LaLiga after this first year are that in educational matters, 90% of the girls have passed their final exams, with 75% attending regular classes and 90% attending computer classes. In addition, new reading clubs have been promoted and there has been a great advance in terms of the participants wanting to start a career in football and in the visibility of women’s football.
The director of the Anatapur Sports Academy, Sai Krishna acknowledged that “the most difficult challenge has been integrating girls into sports activities.” “In Anantapur, none of them practiced sports. Currently, 45% of the participants in all our projects are girls. A change in paradigm and mentality is taking place, which is necessary to advance the culture towards tolerance and equality,” he commented.
For her part, the director of the LaLiga Foundation, Olga de la Fuente, highlighted that “it is impressive to see how in just one year the academic performance and educational skills of girls in this region have improved.” “We are sure that through football and regulated education great progress will be made in terms of improving the quality of life for these girls in the future,” she added.
The director of the LaLiga Women’s Football Department, Pedro Malabia, also spoke positively about the project. “From LaLiga and the LaLiga Foundation we will continue to support initiatives that promote gender equality and that are committed to the formation of profiles in the football industry,” he stated.