A journey of transformation through sports

Walking through the narrow, uneven streets, humming with the resonance of everyday struggles, the air felt heavy. Residences consisted of shacks assembled from tarpaulins and rusting metal, providing little protection for the families that occupied them. As we continued walking, we saw children with torn clothes and bare feet, dribbling a football. Resilient spirits and smiling faces: this is the power of sport.

Sports have always been a significant part of my life. Over summer break last year, I was fortunate to train for my badminton nationals at the Padukone-Dravid Center of Sports Excellence in India. A few weeks later, my determination and my coach’s hard work paid off when I received my national ranking.

After my badminton meets and with plenty of days left before vacation ended, I began seeking volunteering opportunities through which I could coach young kids. I came across Being Child Care (slum’s child care center) after observing a young kid skillfully maneuvering a football, barefoot. Upon entering the centre, I was greeted by a large group of eager kids. In the far corner lay random pieces of worn out sports equipment. Over the course of the afternoon, what caught my attention time and again was the childrens bright faces as they passed tattered footballs and swung wooden sticks meant to be cricket bats, their laughter ready to overcome any obstacles in their path. In that moment, the realization struck that sports can be more than just a pastime; they can offer hope, an escape from day to day struggles, a platform that connects various people and transcends circumstance.

Arriving back in Dubai, and with sports continuing to steer my life in a positive direction, I aspired for others to benefit from its transformative powers as well. I became the founder of a simple, yet effective strategy to empower those who may be lacking in needs but are laden with determination. With the help and support of my parents and from my counselors at Hale Education Group, from what was just an idea turned into, Equip2Empower, a youth organization aimed to provide sports equipment to underprivileged children.

Today, Equip2empower has over 25+ chapters around the world, students who are proudly able to represent us and our mission in their schools and cities. We have a sports spotlight, soon to turn into a magazine, where we capture athlete’s stories and spread awareness about the realm of opportunities sports brings to people. Currently, we are working with different beneficiaries (Harmony House India, Being Child Care, Rescue Foundation, Al Jalila Foundation) and four strategic partners. Together, we work closely to meet the needs of these young children, ensuring their dreams of being a sportsman/women are met. We have had several successful sports related collection drives and are in the process of being donated to both local and international orphanages and organizations.