Mann Deshi Champions (Sports Program)

  Project to provide children from Mann Deshi Champions with shoes and sport materials:   Be In Their Shoes – BITS:

Marcel, together with Emilia Galiano (intern from Italy, Johns Hopkins University), create an own project through an idea to collect donations from their entire network in Brazil, Italy and other countries, and use this money to buy shoes to the children and give them safety and motivation to practice sports at Mann Deshi Champions program.

They developed a public website (beintheirshoes.blogspot.com) where they publish all the information about the creation of the idea, the structure of Mann Deshi Foundation (and Mann Deshi Champions), the instructions to donate and funny things to make the project successful.

After three weeks of the launch of the project they collected USD 5.035 dollars coming from Brazil, Italy, Germany and United States. The website received more than 3500 page views in the English version and more 3000 views on the Portuguese and Italian versions. Through all the Social Networks like Facebook and Twiter and also through e-mails list they spread out the idea and provided considered exposure to Mann Deshi and through a different reality faced by these children in Mashwad.

After every USD1.500 dollars donated, they defined a funny activity to do with the children: (i) in the first activity, besides jumping and making fun, they provided chocolate for all of them; (ii) in the second target they danced an American song (Party Rock) with the children and gave them pineapple juice; (iii) in the third target (after achieving USD 4.500 dollars), they danced a bollywood song (Dhinka Chika) and bought school notebooks for everyone.

Besides the shoes for 185 children, they were able to buy 185 pairs of socks, goal net, volleyball net, football balls, karate, badminton, baseball and football general equipments.  This sports equipment will be used by the children participating to the Mann Deshi Champions Program: they will keep the shoes and the socks, while the rest will be kept in a storehouse in the practice field.

The project went over the expectations and brought repercussion worldwide.   Thank you to all the donors and supporters.  Mann Deshi appreciates its donors support.

 Thank you very much again !

Dear Mann Deshi Champion Supporters,

Thank you very much for your support to “Mann Deshi Champion.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Rural boys and girls are getting an extra-ordinary opportunity through the sports’ program: Mann Deshi Champion.  Mann Deshi is operating in remote and drought prone areas and this is the first program started in whole Satara District specifically directed at poor rural boys and girls. The usefulness of such a program is self-evident as in rural areas children do not have access to facilities for exercises and sports. 

In the month of April, Mann Deshi Champion organized a “Summer Camp” lasting 21 days: 237 students from Mhaswad, Pulkoti, Karkhel, Virkarvadi and Devapur villages actively participated in this camp.  Nine professional coaches were invited from big cities like Bombay, Kolhapur and Pune to provide training on running track, Kho-Kho, volleyball, football, Throw-ball, Long-jump, High-jump, Ropeway, athletics and gymnastics.

During this “Summer Camp”, and in participating to the program, boys and girls learn the importance of physical fitness and of a correct diet by taking example from the meals provided by Mann Deshi. Moreover, children take advantage of practicing different exercises, various sports and other activities: coaches teach the basics of different sports, and children push themselves to improve their skills. Camps are a great place to interact with peers and to learn about teamwork. In order to integrate sports into family life, Mann Deshi is considering to actively engage parents, and the rest of the family, enrolling them in group lessons. The program assists children in developing healthy habits, including keeping active, nutrition, hydration, sun protections and fair play. 

Mann Deshi Campion will help rural boys and girls to gain confidence and build their careers.

Please click on the link of Mann Deshi Champion: Sports Program

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgftMMtuZ8E

Sincerely Yours,

Vanita Shinde,