Empowerment through Gymnastics

Gymnastics has influenced my life since I started at three years old. Before I understood it myself I was learning life skills such as confidence, dedication, discipline, and integrity. Currently I am a junior at Granite Bay High school in Granite Bay, California. Previously I lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin where I began coaching younger gymnasts; I was delighted to see the pure joy and excitement in their faces as they entered the gym. I was also able to teach children with mental and/or physical challenges in the Full Circle program at the YMCA. I was pleasantly surprised to see the unique talents that each child had. The Full Circle program inspired me to seek the hidden talents in others who do not have the opportunities to discover it themselves.

What started as annual family visits to India transformed into eye-opening experiences leaving lasting impressions on my values. From a young age, I have been involved with nonprofit organizations, ADIRE and SHAMA, which focus on health, energy, learning, and production development in Indian villages. Every summer I assist with health clinics, schools, and women empowerment projects in villages. I have taught english and computer skills to village children, created documentaries for fundraising, and given speeches at events. In school, back in America, I organized fundraisers and gave presentations about our projects. To connect my classmates to the village children, we held Skype conferences so that students from both countries could be exposed to different lifestyles. I believe that these relationships build awareness of diversity and acceptance of our similarities and differences.

In high school I became more aware of societal issues. I realized that in Indian villages, oppression based on gender and caste was common. Many children -especially girls- were barred from participating in numerous activities. I realized that women and girls are still expected to get married early and start a family rather than pursue their own education and goals. However during annual elementary school sports days, I see young girls who give exceptional performances and have unbelievable potential in sports. These talents, unfortunately, go unrecognized due to the standards of society. I was privileged to have been raised in a family that believes in gender equality and was always encouraged to pursue my passions. When I encountered the blunt inequality in the village, I became insistent on promoting change by empowering all children from a young age.  I desire to spread my passion for gymnastics and introduce opportunities to young children in villages. By creating a gymnastics area and self defense program, my goal is to promote strength and confidence enabling the younger generation to change their perspectives on societal standards. As the program continues and becomes larger, hopefully it will influence change for several of the surrounding villages.

In order to provide these children with an environment where they can truly express their full potential we need to have proper safety equipment and coaching. This summer of 2017, I will be training at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi where I will have contact with expert coaches who may assist in the village. The gymnasium will be built in Jahangirabad, Odisha this summer with gymnastics and self defense programs. If a good athletes arises, they may have the opportunity to pursue their passion at a larger gym. I hope you can assist me in helping these girls take a step towards a brighter future and empowering them to become fearless and confident women.

All donations will be used to provide the gymnasium with proper gymnastics equipment and safety mats. If enough funds are raised to start this program, I can directly show the development process through Skype and hopefully you will be able to make a connection with the children.

I will gladly accept any questions or suggestions!