MADRID: The growing interest in football within the rural areas of India is evident, and proof of this can be seen in the exponential growth of the number of participants in the project that the Vicente Ferrer Foundation, through the Rural Development Trust (RDT), and LaLiga, through its Women’s Football department and its Foundation, have been developing for more than 5 years.
This alliance was established with the aim of promoting the practice of football among young people from the most disadvantaged communities in the district of Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, as well as establishing mechanisms and systems for the promotion of individual and collective talent at the national level in India.
Thanks to this joint initiative, around 2,000 boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 15 have the opportunity to practice sport and receive training, through values such as discipline, effort, self-improvement and team spirit, which will enable them to deal with future challenges.
With the aim of carrying out an on-site evaluation of the project’s progress and strengthening cooperation with the project partners, Olga de la Fuente, director of Fundacion LaLiga, and Pedro Malabia, director of LaLiga’s Women’s Football Department, made an official trip to the Anantapur region, during which they completed a varied programme of activities. They were also accompanied throughout by Luz María Sanz, director general of the Vicente Ferrer Foundation. Leading different training workshops with the coaches from the teams in the region, Anair Lomba, former professional player and LaLiga ambassador, led an experiential session and a sports clinic with a technical trainer from the Fundacion LaLiga.
de la Fuente stated, “It is very gratifying to see through this project the consolidation of sport as one of the main tools for youth development and social integration in this region. We are very grateful to the Vicente Ferrer Foundation for allowing us to accompany them on this enriching journey.”
Malabia noted, “We are pleasantly surprised by the number of girls benefiting from the project and the impact it has on their education. The Vicente Ferrer Foundation’s project plays a decisive role in the development of women in Anantapur and, through football, helps girls and boys in the region to discover the values of sport, providing them with tools for their sporting and personal development.”
Sanz commented, “Sharing the results of our collaborative work has been very enriching and motivating for all of us, as it encourages and drives us to continue promoting values through sport that break down barriers and provide opportunities. From the Vicente Ferrer Foundation and all the team involved in this project, we are proud of the professional and human partnership that we have forged with LaLiga and the Fundacion LaLiga during these five years, and we hope that it will continue for many more.”
