Contents
Rays of Hope
Small is Beautiful
Girl Rising
The Multiplier Effect – Right To Play in GGPS Mirpur Khas
Sparing the Stick
An Equal Playing Field
Turning a Drop into an Ocean / Cementing the Impact
The Transformation of a School Bully
Igniting Hope for Better Future
A Portrait of Courage
Of Aspirations and Hope
Starting Early, Setting Things Right
The First Step
A Diamond in the Rough
Bringing Change… One Book at a Time
The Trail Blazer
The Pull Factor
Making a Difference - Overview of Right To Play’s Sindh Program
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Right To Play Values:
Right To Play Pakistan dedicates
this publication
to the memories of our dearest colleague, Durray Sadaf, who passed away in Feberuary 2014.
Durray Sadaf remained an integral part of Right To Play Pakistan team for over 2 years in her role
as Communication & Advocacy Officer in Karachi. She documented inspiring stories about Right
To Play’s program activities in the field and her contribution in projecting the program in media
will always be remembered. Some of her stories are also included in this publication. Right To Play
team is together with her family in this moment of grief over the loss of this wonderful soul.
WE CARE:
We care for children and communities
We look after ourselves and look
after one another
WE COMMIT:
We stay true to ourselves
We act with honesty and integrity
We keep our promises
WE DO:
We share a can-do attitude
We create opportunities where none
exist
We work hard to make an impact
WE PLAY:
We have fun and are playful in
everything we do
We take a moment to smile and
laugh
WE ARE A TEAM:
Diverse, yet supportive; aligned, not
divisive
Our Mission
Right To Play’s mission is to
use sport and play to educate
and empower children and
youth to overcome the effects of
poverty, conflict and disease in
disadvantaged communities.
Our Vision
Right To Play’s vision is to
create a healthy and safe
world through the power
of support and play.
Our Philosophy
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF,
LOOK AFTER ONE
ANOTHER
Most of these stories are collected by Amima Sayeed
by visiting Right To Play partner schools in Sindh.
Amima conducted several interviews with children,
Junior Leaders, parents, teachers and community
members. Amima Sayeed is a Senior Manager at
Teachers’ Resource Centre where she is engaged in
ECCE advocacy and research.
Johann Olav Koss
In 2013, the services and achievements of Right To Play founder
and President, Johann Olav Koss, were further recognized when
he received two prestigious prizes. In April 2013, Johann was
awarded with LEGO prize. “Johann Koss is awarded the LEGO
prize as recognition of the tremendous impact he has had on
children’s lives through his organization, Right To Play,” says the
Chairman of the LEGO foundation in Denmark. Also in March
2013, Johann received the Henry R Kravis prize in leadership.
Johann Olav Koss is one of the greatest winter athlete and a
leading social entrepreneur. The four-time Olympic Gold Medalist
made world headlines when he won three Gold Medals at the
1994 Lillehammer Olympics in Norway.
Johann founded Right To Play in 2000 and has since led the
organization as its President and CEO. He is considered as the
pioneer in the field of Sport for Development. His dynamic and
inspirational figure is instrumental in making Right To Play the
leading Sport for Development organization in the world.
The recently concluded Sochi Olympics marked the 20th anniversary of Johann’s heroics at Lillehammer.
To mark the occasion, we introduced Right To Play Nation (RTPNation), a community of Right To Play
supporters who believe that play can transform a child’s life. RTPNation is made up of one million
children and the thousands of volunteer Coaches who lead our play-based educational programs in
more than 20 countries worldwide and reaching 1 million children globally.
Right To Play Pakistan offers regular sport and play programing to over 170,000 children and youth in
pakistan. We have trained over 400 local youth as coaches and organized summer camps, sport tournaments
and Play Days for children and youth in schools and community.
Right To Play’s Life Skills Development project in Sindh started in 2011 in this context of flooding and heavy
rains, primarily under the emergency education. The program started implementing regular activities in 300
partner schools in 7 districts of Sindh. Currently the program is being implemented in 5 districts of Sindh,
working in 200 schools that have been termed as Child Friendly schools. Total outreach is expected to be
45-50,000 children, around 85% girls. The impact stories you are about to read are about Right To Play's
activities in Sindh.
So far through successful programming, Right To Play has able to increase the confidence level of children in
schools, especially girls, reduced violence and bullying in schools, provided greater access to sport and play
facilities for children and youth, and built essential life skills among children.
The interesting stories you will find in this document, account to all the great work Right To Play staff, coaches
and volunteers are doing in the field. These stories also reflect how this unique program is changing behaviors
and transforming lives in our communities and thereby causing a social change. The real life heroes in these
stories and the change they are bringing in their own lives and those of people in their environment further
strengthen our resolve that, ‘When Children Play the Word Wins.
Transforming Lives through Play
Rays of Hope
RTP Coach leading a play based activity in a school
By Durray Sadaf
“Earlier I used the stick to discipline children but since
I learnt of the importance of Child Rights through
trainings imparted by Right To Play Pakistan, I
stopped beating children” were the words of Arbab
Khatoon, the Head Teacher at Government Girls
Primary School and Government Girls Middle School,
Laung Pauja, district Dadu.
Arbab has been considered by her peers as one of the
most dedicated teachers of the school and been
associated with it for the longest duration. Her
involvement with the school stemmed from 1999
when she had come to the village of Laung Puaja as a
young bride.
After settling down in the village, she received an
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opportunity to meet many of her neighbours and
learnt to her dismay that a majority of them were
illiterate. Since she herself was a Matriculate graduate, she was considered to be well educated and the
thought of her community members not considering
education to be important for their children was
quite disappointing to her.
Arbab also learnt through her interaction with her
community members that there was a government
school building present in the village but was not
being utilized for any purpose. She felt that if awareness was raised in the people of Laung Pauja regarding the necessity of education, then classes could be
started in the school and village children could attend
those and develop.
She discussed her ideas with her husband who was
doubtful that any good would come out of her
efforts, but yet she did not deter. She initially tried to
raise awareness in people by going house to house
and doing community mobilization. Her efforts were
not appreciated and at times she was turned away
harshly.
Not letting her failing efforts bring her down, she
enlisted the help of the village Imam and an old lady
who used to teach the Holy Quran to the children and
sought their support of requesting parents to send
their children to school.
Slowly, her repeated efforts of reaching out to
parents in the community paid off and parents
agreed to send their children to learn. With the help
of the community members the government school
building was transformed into usable condition and
shortly 30 girls joined.
As time passed, Arbab tried imparting as much
knowledge as she could to the children but faltered in
places as she herself had only basic education. But
with the passage of time, and luck favoring their way,
Right To Play in partnership with United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) commenced their interventions in the district of Dadu and reached out to their
school.
Through Red Ball Child Play activities conducted by
well-trained Coaches of Right To Play, positive behavioral changes could be seen in children resulting in
more active involvement in school and higher rates of
enrollment. Parents too appreciated the changes
being brought about in their children’s behaviour.
It was also noticed that due to the interventions of
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the organization, behavioral changes were not limited
to children only but positively affected the elders as
well. Arbab cited her own example and shared that
due to Right To Play she received an opportunity to
learn things she had no clue about earlier and
received an opportunity to attend RBCP, ECP and
Child Protection Trainings which taught her the
importance of ‘inclusion’, child rights and the importance of sports in child development.
One activity that she conducted in the school was
‘organized basket’ which resulted in groups of
children from different backgrounds coming together
and playing in harmony while forgetting their differences. Arbab feels content when she sees that she
has been able to make a difference in her students’
lives by using the knowledge she has gained through
trainings.
Supporting her contribution, Tasneem Chana, a
Teacher of Class 7 at the school said “after the
interventions of Right To Play in our school, our
children have become more active and confident.
Earlier they used to be very quiet and reserved. Also,
differences have melted away between the children.”
On a personal front, Arbab said that she has become
more patient with her children and her young son
Waqar, aged five also accompanies her to school.
There, through observation he has also learnt numerous games and tries to replicate them at home.
Moreover, her children have started to understand
the message behind the games and hence, positive
development has been witnessed. Arbab says she
truly believes that the power of sports and play does
work miracles.
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Transforming Lives through Play
Small is Beautiful
Shahzmina is hardly 3 ft. tall, enrolled in Class 2,
leads dozens of young girls of senior classes as she
is the Junior Leader in Government Girls Elementary Haji Abdul Ghani School in Thatta. She takes
charge of her own class in the absence of teachers
and also participates actively in school’s curricular
and play activities. This is the Shahzmina you will
meet today. When her teachers and fellow
students vouch for a magical transformation in
Shahzmina ever since Right To Play activities are
introduced in the school, you cannot stop wondering why and how such a change has come about.
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Shahzmina, a Junior Leader of second grade from Thatta
Until a year back, Shahzmina was a shy and timid girl.
Let alone participating in activities, she didn’t even
attend school regularly. For she was self-conscious
and shy because of her petite body especially her
right hand which was smaller than her left one.
Owing to obvious difference in her physical features,
Shahzmina felt left out and feared being singled out
and mocked. Her frequent absence from class
resulted in RTP Coach, Almas, inquiring about
Shahzmina. Through several discussions with her
parents, they finally agreed to push Shahzmina to
come to the school. And thus began the journey of
transformation – through engaging her in play
activities and gradually giving her the responsibilities,
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the RTP Coach strived to build Shahzmina’s confidence in her own self. In school, Shahzmina was given
no time to brood over her obvious difference and
disability as she was asked to take up the duties of a
Junior Leader. Within days, Shahzmina stopped hiding
her right hand under the scarf and started using it in
the 6-Balls activities she had to engage her classmates in. With RTP Coach bucking her up, Shahzmina
soon realized that her classmates and school fellows
at large just wanted to have fun, never to make fun of
her. And though she’s small and so is her hand, she is
perfectly capable of making school and learning a fun
experience.
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Transforming Lives through Play
Right To Play Coaches during a walk at universal children day in Thatta
The Multiplier Effect
Right To Play in GGPS Mirpur Khas
Girl Rising
Having been born and brought up in an urban part of
Thatta in an educated family, Sidra Armeen is not new
to training or education. Her mother is the head
teacher of a government secondary school while
Sidra has also taught in a private school for several
years before quitting it when a dear colleague of hers
died suddenly. She stayed at home for couple of years
until her mother convinced her to interview for a
training organized by Right To Play on Youth As
Leaders – an experience Sidra calls “life changing.” In
the last 8 months since her training finished, Sidra
has done things which were unimaginable for her and
anybody who knew her. With her study group, she
has conducted voluntary training for women teachers
in three schools of Thatta, she planned and participated in a street theatre to raise awareness about
children’s rights, and she didn’t falter when she was
asked to ride a truck and go around Thatta city as part
of the awareness campaign.
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From a person who did not want to come to the
training venue unaccompanied, Sidra has become a
fearless activist who is willing to carry on the mission
making most of the available resources. She attributes the change in her life choices to YAL training and
trainers. Sidra sums up her key learnings in three
points – first, women need to do more than just
fulfilling household responsibilities; second, act and
do something worthwhile for the community; and
third, do not fear people and what they may say,
focus should always be on one’s own goal.
Sidra thinks her journey is far from over, she has to
fight many demons within and outside before she can
feel accomplished but she knows she is on the right
path.
There is a phrase in Urdu, Ek akela dou gyara, roughly
translated as one person is single, two can be an
army thus referring to the power of unity and collective action. The primary school located in outskirts of
Mirpur Khas, namely GGPS Mirpur Khas Old is a living
testimony of this. It is just short of being miraculous
in the educational landscape of Sindh or for that
matter, Pakistan: an active parents’ committee
comprising mothers, efficient teachers using activity
based teaching and learning methodologies, active
participation of all students, and most importantly,
school being converted into a child safe zone.
Parents and teachers have been inspired by a training
organized by Right To Play program team in their
school which focused particularly on Child Protection
and Safety. In their own words, “despite being located
in a close-knit hamlet, the school was an unsafe place
for girl children”. There was no toilet and water
facility hence students would walk to their homes to
use the toilet. Some children whose homes were far
away would relieve themselves in a dark alley behind
the school. They had no realization such practices put
their children at risk. Through the support of RTP
team, the school teachers mobilized parents and
School Management Committee members to build
the school into a safer place. Fixing and refurbishing
drinking water and toilet facilities became their first
priority but the efforts did not stop there – teachers
organized awareness sessions on personal hygiene,
rights of children, importance of play and activities
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School Teachers in Mirpur Khas
for their mental and physical growth for the parents.
While there are tangible changes in the built and
learning environment of school and homes, especially
with hand-made dust bins placed everywhere, there
are intangible yet immense changes in the attitudes
too. When parents were inquired about their children
as they would move to secondary school where such
initiatives may have not been taken place, they were
ready to create alternatives – a play club in the
community, mobilization of SMC, lobbying for extension of RTP programme in other schools, and organizing voluntary awareness raising sessions on Child
Protection for secondary school teachers, to name a
few. There is no stopping the collective action for
greater good of their children. Thank you Right To
Play, is what the parents and teachers say in unison.
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Transforming Lives through Play
Girls participating in RTP’s play based activity in Thatta
Sparing the Stick
By Durray Sadaf
When Asma Parveen, a young teacher, joined the
Government Girls’ Primary School in Molvi Khair
Mohd, district Sanghar, she was appalled by the
school’s flagrant use of corporal punishment as a
disciplinary device.
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Worse still, beating a child was not used as a last
resort for serious transgressions; in fact, Asma saw
children being punished for things as minor as talking
in the class, asking innocent questions or simply day
dreaming. Over time, a look of fright and misery
came to be etched on the children’s faces even while
they came outside to play and participate in sports
and games.
The breaking point came when, during a celebration
taking place in the school, a young girl was caught in
the act of stealing some money from a teacher’s
purse. In order to teach the child a lesson which she
would never forget, the headmistress brought the
child on stage and gave her such a thrashing that the
poor child fainted with the pain and shock.
The rest of the children were made to line up in front
of the stage and watch this horrific act. It seemed
that the teachers too, were enjoying the treatment
being meted out to the child.
Asma felt nauseous looking at the horrific scenario
and decided that she could not keep quiet anymore.
She quietly started counselling the women of her
community regarding the evils of corporal punishment and explained to them the benefits of dealing
with children in a friendly manner. She told them that
beating children and taunting them would not
necessarily discipline; rather, it would make them
retaliate in anger. Her initial efforts were not met well
by the people who were apprehensive about why a
young woman would come to their doorstep to tell
them how to bring up their children. Yet, she did not
lose hope and attended a training session on Child
Rights and Gender Protection.
During the training, she learnt more about the rights
of children. Keeping the findings in mind, Asma then
renewed her work of mobilizing the community and
now managed to make some headway. She gained
the confidence of her community elders who
supported her in passing on the message of children’s
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rights to the parents of her students.
Once the parents realized that the norms which they
thought were acceptable were actually barbaric and
that being beaten and taunted in school on a regular
basis was hampering their child’s emotional wellbeing, they started to change their outlook. Now they
were on Asma’s side and she was happy to have
made a breakthrough on the personal front; now she
had to handle the school
In school, Asma tactfully shared her experience at the
Child Rights and Gender Protection training during an
informal conversation with her headmistress. She
also told her that training was being held for all
headmistresses of government schools in the district.
She praised her headmistress for being a strong
leader and encouraged her to attend this training to
network with others; this tactful approach worked
and the lady made it a point to attend a training
session herself. The training compelled her to reflect
upon her behaviour with children and the negative
practices taking place at her school, which she had
allowed for so long.
After the training concluded she returned to her
school and imparted a stern lecture to all her teachers, forbidding them from either beating the students
or screaming at them.
The changes in the school were visible in a month’s
time and during a monitoring visit, officers got to
interact with happy, confident and bright children.
Happy as the children are, perhaps it is Asma who is
the happiest of them all.
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Transforming Lives through Play
An Equal
Playing Field
Meet Pooja Nanak Ram, Poonam
Mohan, Noor Sakina, Savera,
Aarti and Romila Davis – in
addition to their bright eyes and
beautiful smiles, they have
another thing in common – they
are the super six Junior Leaders
studying in GGPS Mirwah
Gorchani, Mirpur Khas. Brimming
with excitement, the girls enthusiastically talk about what they do
as Junior Leaders and why they
find it so unique – for starters,
they work alongside their
teacher, which they didn’t
experience otherwise. Then, they
get to lead a whole class, they
love the different games and
learning activities they have
learned about as much as they
love conducting coaching sessions
during summer camps. They
share all the new things they
have learned with their siblings
and parents, and also play with
them as many games at home as
they can.
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Sharing and togetherness, however, didn’t come the
easy way to the super six, as revealed by the Right To
Play Coach, Ambreen Naz. Since the girls belonged to
conservative families of different religious beliefs,
there were many misgivings and biases inculcated in
them. They were not alone; most students did not
want to interact with children other than those
belonging to their own community or religious group.
Ambreen recalls that when she first introduced the
Right To Play activities and asked them to hold the
hand of a child standing next to them, many simply
refused because that child belonged to a lower caste
or another religion. For next several weeks, Ambreen
only focused on Blue Ball activities that aim to
promote peace and harmony. Over weeks she
noticed a gradual change in attitudes – fading reluctance, embracing diversity. The strong bonds
between Poonam and her group of friends is indeed a
much needed outcome.
The deeply entrenched societal inequalities and
discriminations may not have been eliminated
completely by Right To Play programme and its
implementers in Mirpur Khas, Sindh. However, it is
certain that the super six group of Junior Leaders
have learned to rise above the pettiness associated
with labels of cast, creed and religion. For they love
another identity – of Junior Leaders, through which
they have discovered an equal playing field for
themselves. Many more groups of Junior Leaders
together can be the champions of bringing social
justice and equality in Pakistan. The hope is alive.
From left to right (Poonam, Aarti, Savera, Noor Sakina, Romila Davis, Pooja)
www.righttoplay.com
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Transforming Lives through Play
Turning a Drop into
an Ocean / Cementing the Impact
Kids participating in RTP’s play based activity in Thatta
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The puzzle of how to take the programme to scale
and deepen its impact has been cracked by Right To
Play team in Thatta. Treading the unusual path of
forming alliance with District Cricket Association
(DCA) of Thatta, RTP has met many important milestones of sports promotion and development in most
marginalized areas of the district.
It started with an occasional invitation to an event
being organized by RTP and graduated to conducting
a joint cricket tournament, there’s no looking back
from that point onwards. The DCA representatives,
enthusiastic to share their views and vision for Thatta,
claim that the number of local Cricket teams in Thatta
have now increased four times, from 8 teams to a
strong and active 32 teams.
Cricket of course has always been a popular sport
amongst youth but what has changed through DCA
and RTP partnership takes it beyond a pastime – first,
new talent is emerging and with patronage from
influential community members, they are able to
provide an organized platform to hone and showcase
the new talent. DCA is initiating regular cricket
coaching sessions as well. An equally significant
change occurring is in the attitude of parents and
community members. Playing cricket is increasingly
being seen as a serious career option, something
which was unimaginable in Thatta. A general awareness is created about how playing cricket at District
level can be connected with income generation and
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secure employment.
DCA along with Sports District Officer, Mushtaq
Khushk credit Right To Play for reinvigorating interest
in sports and play not just amongst boys, but girls
too. Infrastructural support to schools for developing
playgrounds, providing equipment and gear for a
range of sports and technical guidance by RTP has
ensured that sport is seen as a serious business. They
are certain that the Reflect, Connect and Apply
approach towards sport will draw more children and
youth towards playing good sports. Their conviction is
not baseless….after all, there is something exciting
about having a girls’ cricket and basketball team
emerging from the remote villages of Jati!
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Transforming Lives through Play
The Transformation of a School Bully
By Durray Sadaf
Unruly locks, stormy eyes, an angry and distraught
face was the common view bystanders often saw of a
tall fifteen year old girl loitering around shops and
neighbouring homes surrounding Government Girls
Primary School, Chak 05, district Sanghar, Pakistan.
Government Girls Primary School Chak 05 School
under its fold. Right To Play utilized the expertise of
local community volunteers who were developed as
Coaches to drive activities leading to community
growth.
The girl was Saba Naz, a student of grade six at the
stated school and she stood apart from others due to
her wild behaviour. But unfortunately, the teachers
and fellow students could not understand her
disturbed behaviour resulting in the girl becoming
hostile over a period of time.
One such volunteer of the program, Shagufta Amin
was assigned to engage children in sports and play
based activities at GGPS Chak 05. When she joined
the school as a Head Coach, she noticed the children
to be shy, withdrawn and scared of indulging in
discussions with their teachers but with time,
through Red Ball Child Play (RBCP) games and
The situation would have gone unchecked had Right
To Play not made inroads in the district and taken
RTP’s female Coach leading RCA session in Sanghar
Reflect-Connect-Apply (RCA) sessions she was able to
inculcate in them confidence, team-building and
elements of respect. She was happy to see all the
children contentedly participate in activities but was
worried when she saw one particular child standing
apart from the others disinterested in activities going
on around her.
The child in question was Saba Naz who would
remain sullen and unresponsive. She would bully her
class fellows when they would assemble to play Red
Ball Child Play games and snatch the ball away so that
games would stall. She would constantly remain in a
foul mood causing people to steer clear of her path,
and the unfortunate ones who came in the way
would result in getting a thrashing. Whenever
Shagufta would try and intervene, she would chase
her down the ground with the aim of scaring her off.
The teachers of the school were at their wits end at
failing to control her appalling behaviour but
Shagufta felt that there were more pieces remaining
to solve the complex behaviour of Saba. She scouted
the neighborhood around the school and spoke with
the community members of the village. She learnt
from various sources that Saba was the daughter of a
poor labourer and lived in a joint family set-up. She
was suffering from mental disorder and had physical
problems which her parents could not understand
and consequently, she was often beaten or scolded at
home. Her siblings too taunted and made fun of her
thus, causing the girl to grasp onto her anger and
hurt causing her to become a disturbed child.
The information gleaned gave her a better perspec-
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www.righttoplay.com
tive on the situation and she felt that the girl required
proper attention and care. From that day forth,
Shagufta doubled her efforts in reaching out to her
and tried drawing her into Red Ball Child Play games
and her repeated efforts and special attention paid
off. But the ultimate change occurred when she
announced that Saba Naz would be a Junior Leader
and her decision worked positively.
Initially, when Saba learnt that she was chosen to be
a Junior Leader she was hesitant about her role, but
as soon as she started accepting her duties and with
the right support from children and teachers, she
started to get confident and comfortable. Positive
changes could be witnessed in her behaviour as she
started to come to school regularly, took keen interest in health and hygiene sessions and made sure
that her fellow students did not litter in the school.
She also took active part in conducting group meetings with her Head Coach Shagufta, and led Baz-meAdab celebrations in her school. Her good rapport
with children gained her many friends and she
ultimately transformed into a friendly, cheerful
person from the sullen and angry young girl
Upon seeing these changes, a delighted Shagufta
shared “initially when I came to this school as a Head
Coach, my Head Mistress was not very pleased with
the notion. But now when she has seen remarkable
changes taking place in the behaviour of the children
in school especially Saba Naz, she agrees that Right
To Play truly makes a difference in a child’s life by
developing the correct skills required for their development.”
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Transforming Lives through Play
Igniting Hope for Better Future
Government Girls Primary School, Janhero Sharif,
situated along Kunri road near Umerkot town was not
operational since March 2013. Majority of parents
preferred their children working with them on fields
or roaming around in the village rather than studying
in a haunted school, a popular belief held by the
villagers after a student was found dead on school
premises. Following the drift, the only government
teacher appointed for the school stopped coming to
school while the community teacher appointed for
Happy faces from Umerkot
running Katchi (pre-primary) class shifted her class to
community center of the village. However, by May
2013, the project was over and so was the provision
of community teacher leaving the only primary
school of the village dysfunctional.
Kids getting ready for play based activity
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When the appointed Right To Play Coach, Naseema
Kunbhar, first visited GGPS Janhero Sharif, RTP team
came to know about the history and current condition of the school. The idea of replacing the school
with another functional one seemed uninspiring to
the team and unfair for the hundreds of girls who did
not have any access to education. Naseema spearheaded the efforts to make the school functional.
Over next three months, Naseema engaged in
community meetings discussing the importance of
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school education and rights of the children. Through
interacting with the community, she also figured out
that contrary to widespread belief, the school was
not haunted and the student’s death was due to her
illness and no medical attention received. Simultaneously, Right To Play team also liaised with District
officials of the Education Department, Umerkot to
ensure teacher deployment in the school.
Against all the odds, Naseema persisted and eventually succeeded in making the school functional.
Through her efforts, she safeguarded the future of
hundreds of girls who otherwise would have stayed
illiterate or uneducated.
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Transforming Lives through Play
A Portrait of
Courage
“A life changing experience’ is how
Ambreen Naz defines her experience of
working with Right To Play. She is the
Coach in Mirwah Gorchani Primary
School, Mirpur Khas and has been
associated with Right To Play for two
years now. Thinking about what
resulted in life changing experience,
Ambreen credits the initial training
received under RTP. The trainers,
according to her, walked the talk – if
they were talking about how important
it was to encourage students, they
demonstrated it in the training as well.
It was the first time Ambreen experienced undivided attention, encouragement and the confidence to express
herself. That’s the experience she wants
every child to enjoy because she thinks
it will change their very take on life, the
way it has for her in both personal and
professional worlds. Ambreen has
continued her education and is
currently enrolled in Masters’
programme. One of her major achievements is to be able to financially and
emotionally support her seven siblings
and mother after her father passed
away. She is considered a role model by
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Girls enjoying the RTP’s play based activity
the entire village because of her maturity, confidence
and determination.
Professionally, sense of purposefulness and success is
directly infused by working with her students.
Ambreen takes pride in identifying four physically
disabled children in the community and convincing
their families to send them to school. At school, she
not only created a disabled-friendly environment
through arranging for wheelchairs and making ramps
for increased mobility; Ambreen also spent extra time
to bond with these children so they can be at peace
with themselves and others around them. Ambreen
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attributes her understanding to the Right To Play’s
training and blue ball activities helped other children
as well as teachers embrace diversity and disability.
Three of those students have completed primary
education and moved to secondary schools. However,
this transition has left Ambreen a little anxious as
there is no RTP in the secondary school they are
attending. She feels that RTP should be made a
mandatory feature in all schools, be it public or
private, primary or secondary. She is convinced that
RTP is the best vehicle to develop collegiality and
critical thinking skills amongst children.
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Transforming Lives through Play
Girls enjoying the RTP’s play based activity
Asadullah has grown in leaps and bounds after Right
To Play’s program commenced at his school. Right To
Play commenced their interventions in the district’s
selected schools since January 2011.
Subsequently, it has been witnessed that through
their sports and play based methodology, capacities
of young children have been developed and talent
honed giving them an opportunity to come forward
and serve as Junior Leaders.
Of Aspirations and Hope
By Durray Sadaf
As the sweltering heat of the sun bears down the
land of Sarvech Nagar, villagers are seen trudging on
the narrow paths leading to the outskirts of the
village where they toil as daily wage workers. Their
daily commute to neighbouring villages and market
places leads them through fields of sunflowers and
water stretches with water buffalos bathing in them.
The scenic picture looks straight out of a picture
book, yet it manages to camouflage the difficult
realities of life that these people face.
But in spite of the challenges present in the villagers’
lives, there are some who go against the odds and
carve out niche for themselves at a tender young age.
One such person is a young boy named Asadullah
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who has been orphaned at a young age and belongs
to Sarvech Sujawali Nagar.
Belonging to a poor family and living in a village
which is quite backward in its approach and deprived
of basic facilities, Asadullah literally has to go an extra
mile just to derive education. He daily commutes a
distance of 2 kilometers by walking, as there is no
transportation available and attends the Government
Main Sindhi Primary School Sujawal, Chandia, Thatta,
Pakistan. The prime reason for his attending a school
in another village is that the school present in his
own village is non-functioning with teachers being
absent most of the time.
At present, a student of class 5 at GPS Sujawal,
The Junior Leader concept at Right To Play is a fairly
unique one, as it offers children the opportunity to
gain essential leadership skills so that they can
become active participants in their communities. And
out of the numerous Junior Leaders in the program,
Asadullah is the one leading the way at his school.
He assists his Head Coaches and Teachers in conducting play based activities at his school and provides
necessary support to other teachers by visiting
different schools and engaging children belonging to
senior classes in play based sessions. In fact, his
sessions are so interactive that he manages to draw
teachers into participating along with their students.
Being trained in the Red Ball Child Play Resource of
the organization, he is aware of the concept of the 5
balls of the organization and the themes they cover.
He strongly feels that if children participate actively in
games falling under Red Ball, their minds will develop
and they will become more active in studies, while for
maintaining physical fitness they should participate in
Black Ball activities.
He has noticed changes within himself due to the
program and comes to school regularly while earlier
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he would avoid coming to school making various
excuses. Earlier, he would play games with his friends
simply for the sake of playing and would get involved
in squabbles to show his supremacy, but now after
understanding the concept behind the activities, he
does not fight with anyone, but explains the importance of team-work, respect and harmony. He simply
feels that ‘if we take care of each other, others will
take care of us.’
Asadullah also feels that he has received many
opportunities to learn about new concepts through
this program and has gotten exposure to different
events such as Global Hand Washing Day, Cultural
Day and Polio Day. He has appreciated the fact that
this program does not judge children on their backgrounds and status and treats everyone equally.
On a personal front, after becoming a Junior Leader,
Asadullah has been able to teach his family on
important issues of health, hygiene and cleanliness.
He candidly says “my mother used to fetch water
from the river for cooking purpose, but since I learnt
that the water is not clean and can cause diseases, I
told my mother to use clean water from the hand
pump. Since then, she gets water from the hand
pump for cleaning, cooking and washing.”
He further adds that “earlier I was very shy and
nervous and could not talk in front of anyone, but
now I can confidently say that even if you put me on
stage in front of hundreds of people, I would be able
to confidently address them. And I feel all this has
happened due to Right To Play teaching us about
values of respect, belief and confidence.”
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Transforming Lives through Play
The First Step
Starting Early, Setting Things Right
The most critical years for children’s holistic development are the Early Childhood Years (0-5 yrs). Brain
development is rapid during early years when
children get a caring and stimulating environment
where they feel confident to explore, inquire, bond,
and most importantly feel valued enough to express
themselves. Unfortunately for Pakistan, early childhood and care is the most neglected area not just in
education but society at large. Kauser Banglani, a
three year old enrolled in Katchi (pre-primary) in
GGPS, suffered the same fate not unlike so many
other children of her age in rural Sindh. When Right
To Play started its activities in Kauser’s school,
teachers informed the RTP Coach that she has severe
disability as she could not talk. If she needed
anything in classroom, she would point towards it. On
the other hand, teachers put her in the category of
slow learner.
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Keeping to RTP’s mandate, the Coach focused on
including all the children in learning and play activities. Since Kauser Banglani was known as a recluse
with no speech, special efforts were made to include
her in play activities. Over a period of time, Kauser’s
enthusiasm became visible and she even began to
volunteer for different activities. Her teachers
informed the RTP Coach that her classroom participation has also improved. But that was not all that
changed. One day during a warm up quiz, RTP Coach
asked children about the colour of mind ball. “Red,”
came the reply from none other than Kauser. It was
the first time that anyone heard Kauser, first time
Kauser felt safe and confident to speak in front of her
classmates and coach.
It wasn’t Kauser who was disabled, it was the school
environment. Thankfully Right To Play changed the
equation at a very early stage.
Bhavna is 8 years old. Teachers of GGPS Police Lines
in Umerkot, share that Bhavna is with them for many
years now. Still in Grade 1 as she has not been able to
go beyond reading alphabets and small words.
Understandably so as it can be spotted from a mile
that Bhavna is a moderate case of cerebral palsy. Her
parents sent her to school because they did not know
what to do with her at home. And at school, teachers
tried to handle her to the best of their knowledge
and ability. They also tried to control other children
from teasing Bhavna, but to little effect. Typically,
after reaching school Bhavna was escorted to a
classroom and would spend the whole day sitting
there until the school time was over. During recess
when there was no teacher in the class, other
children would come to see her like she was a zoo
animal. Many children did not hesitate from making
fun of her and telling her how she’ll never be like
them. Silent tears would roll down Bhavna’s face,
deepening her isolation and sense of depravation.
That was then. There has been a dramatic change in
Bhavna’s life since Right To Play came to her school.
Two things became the priority for RTP team –
creating empathy amongst school students and
making Bhavna’s stay in school as comfortable as it
can. On the first count, several sessions with students
along with red and blue ball activities were
conducted to develop their sense of empathy and
responsibility. Over time, students became friendly
towards Bhavna, stopped teasing her and let her in
their play circles. The RTP Coach along with RTP’s
Umerkot team and teachers devised a lot of activities
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that would give Bhavna a real chance to participate.
From the group of Junior Leaders, two Junior Leaders
were asked by the Coach to help, support and guide
Bhavna during activities and also in classroom.
However, Bhavna’s mobility was still limited because
of her physical condition. Through contacting local
medical professionals and seeking support from
hospitals, Right To Play team arranged for a wheel
chair for her. With the wheel chair, she is able to
come to the playground and join her new friends in
the recess time.
Bhavna has distinct special needs, all of which may
not be catered by Right To Play. However, RTP could
set the taboos aside and create opportunities for
Bhavna’s social integration. That battle has been won!
A girl ready to participate in RTP’s play based activity.
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Transforming Lives through Play
A Diamond in the Rough
By Durray Sadaf
Boys participating in human knot activity.
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In a small but hustling market located some 45
kilometers to the south-west Karachi Road, resides a
middle-class family like many others. The family
comprises of six daughters, two brothers and an old
father who makes ends meet by working in a local
mill. But what sets the family apart from others is
that one girl from the family has stood out like a
diamond in the rough by going against odds and
studying MA.
The girl in question is Shah Bibi Panhwar, aged 25
who has fought cultural barriers and gone against
social norms to make a place of respect for herself in
the society.
Initially, when Right to Play district office Thatta
commenced work in the district and was looking for
youth for their ‘Youth As Leader’ training, word was
spread out in the community by the program’s Head
Coaches. Shah Bibi too learnt of the same from the
community and was encouraged by her friends to
attend the training. With hope in her heart and a
spring in her steps, Shah Bibi attended the four day
training organized at the district office of Right To Play
in Thatta where she proved that girls can rise to the
top provided they are given equal opportunities as
men.
On the last day of her training, her group was
assigned a Social Cohesion Project in which she was
the coordinator of the project. Through her excellent
leadership skills and hard work, she and her team
proved themselves by running a Coaching Center in
her village free of cost. She now teaches at the
Center.
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Shah Bibi candidly shared after the training completed that “being a youth, I think we can achieve a
lot if we want too, but we also require a correct
platform where we can showcase our talent and
skills.”
She further added that the youth of the country had
never received opportunities earlier but due to Right
To Play’s program in the district, the approach to local
youth became very impressive and motivational
leading towards positive transformation in their lives.
She now feels that the platform provided by Right To
Play will help increase peoples life skills and enable
them to take new initiatives that will help others.
Furthermore, she shares that “after receiving the
training, I have become more confident and can
communicate well with everyone. I have become
more responsible and involved with the youth. I
believe that I would not have been able to teach
children but this training has instilled in me the belief
that I can reach up to the stars and benefit the
children of my village by bringing an educational
change in them.”
A notable person from the community commented
that Shah Bibi has taken a great initiative for the
promotion of education in the village; and he hopes
that she will continue her efforts and become a role
model for others in the community.
Shah Bibi cheerfully salutes Right To Play for playing
an important role in her life and making her the
person she is today.
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Transforming Lives through Play
Bringing Change… One Book at a Time
Having acquired two masters’ degrees, Rizwaan Ali
Brohi is convinced that if anything can change, it is
through education and intellectual poverty alleviation. He thinks it is the love for learning that pushes
one to self-improvement, and nothing can help better
than books to explore the possibilities. This conviction led Rizwaan to set up a Community Library as
part of the Youth As Leader training carried out by
Right To Play programme.
Bringing together a few likeminded people, Rizwaan
and his friends pooled their financial resources
together to rent out a space and organize books.
Initially they utilized a government school for setting
up the library however, they saw that women were
not accessing the library, and males were restricted
because of its location. Therefore they decided to
move the set up in a more accessible place. Over a
period of eight months, the membership base has
grown so strong that Rizwaan is able to pay off the
rent from membership fee and also stock more
books. Currently, a range of books on history, philosophy, poetry religion, politics, etc is available in the
library along with magazines, communications,
practical guides for CSS students, and publications by
NGOs.
For Rizwaan, intellectual awareness is critical for
progressing as a people. He quotes the example of a
regular visitor in his library, a station master, who
only reads Shah Abdul Latif’s penned poetry in “Shah
Jo Risalo.” Poetry written hundreds of years back has
created an understanding about today’s world. It is
transcending into other worlds through books that
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fuels Rizwaan’s ambitions of opening a library in
every Union Council of Thatta. He is also trying to
bridge the gap between people and literature by
bringing writers and intellectuals to the public space
– he is in the process of developing partnership with
Sindhi Writers’ Guild that will be a useful step in this
direction.
Girls enjoying skipping at school in Thatta
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Transforming Lives through Play
RTP’s Coach Hina Rasheed leading an activity in Mirpur Khas
The Trail Blazer
Hina Rasheed Araien is the Right To Play
Coach with RTP Mir Pur Khas team since 2011.
It was mainly familial reasons that Hina joined
the RTP programme, she had to support the
family as her father got paralyzed. Hina and
her sister stepped up to fulfill the economic
needs of the family. She had just completed
her intermediate when she took the job of
Right To Play Coach. What was an economic
lifeline became a life changing experience for
Hina. By her own admission, the time period
spent as RTP Coach has been the most
dynamic and rewarding experience of her life
personally and professionally.
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In the last two and a half years, Hina has been
transformed into a charming and charismatic leader,
and this is exactly what has drawn hundreds of
female students towards her. There are scores of
students who want to be like her for she has accomplished it all – despite the financial issues, Hina
continued her education, she is currently studying for
her masters’ degree. From a meek girl, she has
attained an iconic status in her immediate and distant
family as she is the first female in her entire town
going abroad and that too, without a male guardian.
Hina was nominated by Right To Play to join a group
of 8 young male and female leaders to represent
Pakistan at youth camp organized by United Nations
in collaboration with Right To Play tournament in
Tokyo this year.
That is another testimonial of her steep learning
curve – she’s consistently demonstrated initiative and
a passion to achieve excellence. Is she nervous about
the trip? Of course she is – not because she would be
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travelling outside of Sindh for the first time but
because she wants to bring accolades for her team
Pakistan.
It has not been smooth sailing for Hina. Her father
would not even trust her to go to a playground
adjacent to her school. With her utmost commitment
and dedication, she has won the trust of her father
and that of her students too. She is able to convince
scores of parents to let their daughters play, learn
through play and have excellence is their pursuit.
Hina’s positive and dynamic outlook commands
confidence and trust. Parents are willing to send
students even to another district for training
programmes and tournaments as long as they are
accompanied by Hina. She is hopeful that once
parents see the changes in their daughters through
the experiential training of Right To Play, there will be
many more Hinas born, who will have the courage to
take on all the challenges that life throws at them and
turn them into opportunities.
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Transforming Lives through Play
A group of students participating in RTP’s play based activity
The Pull Factor
One of the major outcomes of Right To Play
programmes running in Sindh government schools
are an ever increasing interest of students in attending schools. This is not only visible in their level of
participation in different play and learning activities,
but more importantly, through decreasing school
drop outs, reduced absenteeism and re-enrollments
in the schools.
Teachers, Right To Play Coaches and Junior Leaders,
whoever gets a chance to share why they are excited
about RTP in their school, have just one story to share
– it is fun, educative and they have learned a lot in
the process. Fizza, a student of grade 5, feels love and
cared for in the school after RTP programme and of
course the RTP Coach started working in her school
GGPS Badh Goth in Mirpur Khas. She says, “I didn’t
want to come to school and would be absent most of
the week. Teachers were strict always asking us to
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copy work in the notebooks. But I felt it did not make
any difference to me or to the school if I am at the
school.” Fizza still remembers the first time her
school’s head coach visited her house to ask about
her health and reasons for absenteeism, she couldn’t
believe that someone was concerned about her.
Though she was not convinced enough, she decided
to go to school and see what has changed. To her
utter surprise, there were games, joint sessions,
learning activities; Fizza to attend the school for the
entire week as she was sure all the activities will only
last that long. She decided to continue for another
week and then another. She laughs heartily and says
she would not miss school for anything – it has
become an exciting fun place, she has friends, she
leads her class as Junior Leader and feels valued.
Making a Difference
Overview of Right To Play’s Sindh Program
The United Nations recognizes that play is the right of every child and should not be considered a luxury. Rather,
it should be used as a tool for promoting education and health and empower children facing adversity and
challenges.
At Right To Play, we believe that the power of play can transform a child’s life for the better and hence, use sport
and play to help children build essential life skills and promote better futures while driving social change in
communities with lasting impact. At present, we are working in more than 20 countries engaging girls, persons
with disabilities, street children, and providing conflict resolution in troubled communities.
Our journey in Pakistan began in 2008 and subsequent years saw us growing from strength to strength and
running programs as far as Mardan in the north to southern districts in Sindh and supporting children and youth
affected by the devastating floods of 2010.
Our program in 7 districts of Sindh has trained community volunteers who serve as Coaches and young children
with strong leadership skills working as Junior Leaders and take our program a notch ahead in their respective
schools and communities. Moreover, our resources of Red Ball Child Play, Team-Up, Sport Specific have made
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learning both interactive and fun thus, capturing children’s diverted attention and drawn them back
willingly towards learning and growth.
Our programmatic interventions in Sindh have taken place in over 300 Child Friendly Schools and 12
Transitional School Structures catered to approximately 50,000 children through regular play-based
learning sessions in schools, enhanced the capacities of Coaches and groomed 493 Junior Leaders.
Around 80% of the children reached in our program our girls and we believe in the capacity development of government school teachers and Head teachers.
To date, we have trained 596 teachers in various resources of Right To Play like Active Learning Methodologies, Positive Disciplining, Gender and Child Rights, School Leadership. We have also brought communities together by holding 14 thematic Play Days, 10 Intra/Inter School Tournaments and 10 Summer
Camps for children and given opportunities to female community members to come forward and
participate equally in the events.
Both external and internal evaluations of the program have documented the following impact of the
program:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Children happily attend school and there is improved co-existence between them
Children demonstrate better self-esteem, cooperation and improved team work
Improved health & hygiene practices are present among school children
Children, especially Junior Leaders are proactive in taking initiatives
Promotion of sports for girls. Girls are receiving opportunities to come forward and participate
in Inter/Intra school tournaments
There is more awareness in children regarding personal hygiene and cleanliness and more
civic sense in the youth
There are indications of improved academic performance of students, due to active learning
methodologies
Positive sports experiences contribute to the process of inclusion by brining individuals from
various social and economic backgrounds in shared interest and activities
Now policy makers have started taking a keen interest in our program
With development of important life skills in children of respect, cooperation, empathy, team work,
children have become more confident in their approach and enjoy a comfortable relationship with their
teachers and peers.
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