Sports beyond social barriers

Ms. Thuvaraka (28) coaches women’s cricket at Namal College, Kalkuda in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Her commitment towards the Sports for Development (S4D) initiative at the school has resulted in more girls getting involved in playing cricket.

“The S4D initiative introduces cricket to girls at a much younger age encouraging higher participation.”

“Earlier, cricket was introduced only in grade 9 at the age of 14. For most of the girls in this traditional Tamil fishing community, this is their first exposure to sports. And starting too late in life is not very encouraging for them to take on sports or to continue playing sports,” explains Thuvaraka

“But through this initiative, girls as young as 12 years can start learning cricket. And I encourage them to do so to enjoy the benefits of sports from a younger age and to be properly trained in the necessary skills to take part in competitive sports.”

“With more girls taking part in sports, I have also overcome the conservative nature of the community; parents are now willing to support their daughters’ sporting dreams.”  

For many children in Sri Lanka the opportunity to participate in sports is a luxury; lack of individual and school capacity, social status, and social norms are some of the key reasons that prevent children, especially young girls, from experiencing the enriching environment that sports offer. School closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that followed have compounded the situation, depriving children and youth of even the simplest form of sport and the peer interaction and social wellbeing that it offers.

As a response, in 2021, with support from the Australian Government through the Australian Non-Government Organisations (NGO) Cooperation Program, UNICEF Sri Lanka partnered with the Provincial Department of Education, Eastern Province to initiate S4D at the provincial level. The programme provides children with more opportunities to participate in sports with the aim of encouraging behaviours and life skills among children that transcend the athletic realm. It also aims to encourage girls’ participation in cricket. The programme is being implemented in 34 schools and has so far reached over 17,000 secondary school students.

“Since the introduction of the S4D programme, an increasing number of girls got involved in playing cricket and they enjoy the host of benefits sports offer; not just sporting achievement and success in athletic pursuits, but larger benefits in the form of physical and mental health,” Thuvaraka adds. 

Sundaralingam Yithurshika (15) represents the women’s cricket team at Namal College. Born and raised in a traditional fishing village in Kalkuda, she is among many young girls whose sporting dreams were achieved though this initiative.  “I have always loved sports and played soccer and cricket but never got the chance to learn the proper skills and participate in school level sports.”

“Last year I got the chance to learn to play cricket at school. As the school received new equipment, I could learn and practice properly. I am now good at batting as well as bowling. We even get to play against the school’s boys’ team.”

“The girls are now very confident in their skills. The team got a chance to take part in the provincial level games held recently. I can see that they are also managing their studies well and eager to stay in school to complete their education,” adds the coach.

“As for Yithurshika, she is a true inspiration and sets a good example of results through determination and perseverance,” she adds. “Her dedication paid off in more ways than one; not only did she become a star cricketer at her school, but also found comradery.”

“The love for sports brought girls from different grades together. They laughed or cried together and saw each other through losses and wins,” says coach Thuvaraka.