The girls all stand in a large circle on the Back2Back Samuel Suzuki India Hope Campus. Ganesh stands in the middle of them, holding a volleyball in his hands. As he walks around the circle, explaining the different ways a volleyball can be passed or hit, he gently bumps the ball into the air towards the girls and waits for them to bump it back to him. He gently redirects when they don’t hold their hands correctly or stand with their feet firmly planted. Ganesh’s athleticism and patient demeanor are allowing him to be a help to the girls as they learn a new sport.
“Over the course of the last three teams we’ve had visit we’ve been able to build, or create, various sports courts for the children,” explains Adam Petticrew, Back2Back India Campus Captain. “We have a basketball court, a volleyball area, and a soccer field that the childrenare all enjoying together.”
As the children are learning about new sports and trying their hand at each one, staff members are noticing an increase in team playing and communication. Where it used to be two to three children would play something off to the side, the children at the India Hope Campus are coming together, boys and girls, to play in larger team activities.
“They are learning a lot about sharing,” says Adam.
With more space to try new things the boys and girls on India’s Hope Campus are seeing the value of playing together and learning from each other.
