The city of Bhubaneswar witnesses the power of community Khel Melas 

Bhubaneswar: The city of Bhubaneswar witnessed the organization of two community Khel Melas (sports carnivals) in community-based schools, situated in underserved slum communities across the city. The khel melas were organized by Pro Sport Development (PSD), an award-winning development organization, dedicated to the empowerment and upliftment of young people from underserved communities in India, particularly Odisha, through the use of sport. The melas were further supported by an international non-profit, Global Fund for Children (GFC). 

The khel melas were held at St. Joseph’s High School, Bharatpur and Ambedkar Siksha Kendra, Dumduma on 4th and 11th February 2024 respectively. Overall, a total of 314 young people, including 143 girls and 171 boys, aged 7-12 years, from underserved slum communities in Bhubaneswar participated in the melas. They were further joined by teachers and staff of these community schools. These young people, and their schools, are part of PSD’s flagship Community Sports Program (CSP), which is being supported by GFC, to expand its reach to younger people from Bhubaneswar’s slum communities.  

As opposed to traditional sports events, where the focus is on competition, these khel melas aimed at creating a fun-filled and enjoyable environment that embraced an inclusive spirit. Visibly enthusiastic and energetic young people trooped into the melas along with their teachers as soon as the gates opened. The melas consisted of innovative and engaging activities, based on different sports such as football, netball, table tennis, hockey and badminton. The atmosphere at the carnival was enhanced by delightful food, music and colorful decorations, creating a festive environment, as one of the participants expressed his excitement:  

“I am very happy that I was a part of this mela. I [made] new friends and had a lot of fun playing with them. It felt so good to play so many games at once. Today we danced a lot, which is why I am so happy.” 

Carnivals such as the Khel Mela are a great way to bring young people together as they provide them with a fun and festive atmosphere through activities, games, food and music. Moreover, such community melas engage young people from marginalized communities, who often lack access to such opportunities, in extracurricular activities that can help them build life skills, make new friends and stay physically active.   

One key point about the khel melas was that it was entirely run by the youth leaders, ambassadors, peer leaders and volunteers associated with PSD, showcasing the organization’s strong commitment to youth empowerment. These youth and peer leaders were earlier part of PSD’s sport-based programs, and the carnival provided them with an opportunity to further hone their leadership qualities and life skills.  

The mela was also attended by Asa Yamaguchi, a sports professional and social development enthusiast, who came from Japan to first-hand witness the transformative power of sport and visit several sport-for-development initiatives in India. As part of her volunteering engagement with PSD, Asa attended one of these melas, and shared her experience:    

“The adults, including teachers and coaches, were enjoying themselves along with the young people. The fun spread to them as the energy was so great that it created an environment where everyone wanted to try something. I tried dancing, which I am not very good at, but it was fun!”  

Initiatives such as Khel Melas reinforce the need for community activities, where people of different ages and genders can come together for a fun day of socialization and recreation. Beyond the joy and excitement experienced by young people, such initiatives contribute significantly to cultivating a culture of inclusivity and camaraderie within the community, fostering positive changes in the attitudes and perspectives of the community members on the value of sport.  

PSD x GFC 

Pro Sport Development (PSD) has been implementing its Community Sports Program (CSP) with young people from low-income families in various slum settlements in Bhubaneswar, Odisha since 2015. The CSP is a purposefully designed intervention that utilizes sport, physical activity and play-based approaches to aid in the holistic development of young people.  

Since 2022, GFC has been supporting PSD in extending the CSP to young people between the ages of 7 to 12 years from marginalized slum communities in Bhubaneswar, as part of their PEAK initiative. The program, being delivered on-ground by trained facilitators, has to date, reached out to a total of 430 young people, including 202 girls and 228 boys across four community schools in Bhubaneswar.