“My head was spinning when I first saw shoes with wheels..but now I can skate around wearing these..I feel so proud!” says 10 year old Raghuved, “I feel like a bird when I skate..” chirps 9 year old Purthviraj. 5 year old Rakshita, adds jovially, “I was so scared initially..but now I can skate around the village and I am so fast that nobody can catch me.” These are students of Vidya Mandir Kadamwadi, Kolhapur (Maharashtra) who recently learned to skate from their teacher, Mr.Bharat, who is proficient in skating.
This is a story of how one teacher’s dream can bring about change. It was Mr Bharat’s dream to bring extracurricular activities in his school to make his students confident and productive. Being proficient in skating he wanted to introduce it in his school but lack of resources was a major impediment. When the local Goonj team found out we promptly provided his school with 5 pairs of Roller-skates and other sports material such as Cricket kit, Badminton Rackets and Soccer Ball. “Today when I see my children skating and showing their moves on the village road, my heart fills with joy!” says the delighted teacher. “Skating is surreal, it helps in building self-esteem in children. This also gave me an opportunity to mentor my children and take this to another level.” Now five students are preparing for various local competitions as well.