Hearts, bodies and minds
Kick like a girl
Kathryn de Ferrer finds a strong resonance with the Heathfield ethos Staff and students at Ascot girls’ boarding school Heathfield have been thrilled to be helping raise funds to fly 15 girls from Mumbai slums and rural Jharkhand in India to the UK for a life-changing two-week sport and education tour. The initiative is part of the ‘Kick Like A Girl’ campaign set up by the OSCAR foundation, a charity spanning the UK and India that drives social change by encouraging gender equality in underprivileged communities through football and education. Heathfield was one of six British schools that funded and hosted the tour, which took place in October 2018, and culminated in a taste of boarding life at Heathfield School. Heathfield girls are passionate about helping other girls to be the very best they can be and this strong school ethos sits perfectly with the ‘Kick Like A Girl’ mission to empower young women by developing new skills and confidence so that they can aspire to a better future. Many of the Indian girls on the tour might have been destined for illegally early marriages, youth pregnancies or child trafficking. Instead they now have passports from a trip to the other side of the world that aimed at changing their perspective on life and opening up new possibilities. A huge fundraising effort was made to raise the £5000 needed to bring this project to fruition. Heathfield’s Director of Pastoral, Kathryn de Ferrer, met the girls in India in the early days of the project and was captivated by their overwhelmingly positive mindset and bubbly enthusiasm. Back in the UK,
Kathryn ran 100km to raise money and the Heathfield girls boosted sponsorship by matching Kathryn’s efforts – their four school houses ran 25km each, together raising £2,000. Further exciting fundraising initiatives were devised by pupils Kiki Severn and Minty Clarry, who became OSCAR International Young Leaders and ambassadors for the cause. The money raised not only helped to fund the ‘Kick Like A Girl’ tour but, crucially, will also provide an ongoing educational programme for their Indian peers through OSCAR’s Young Leader programme, ensuring that hundreds of children will benefit. This programme is targeted at youths wanting to create an opportunity for themselves and enables them to give back to their community by passing on skills and learning. During their UK tour, the Under 17 Kick like a Girl team not only had the chance to showcase their football talents in a series of friendly matches, but were also immersed in a culture that cherishes and promotes girls’ education – the opposite of what they are used to. The girls were particularly excited about the opportunity to take part in academic lessons and sports, whilst enjoying the exceptional facilities offered by Heathfield and the five other British schools that hosted them. The trip also included sightseeing tours of iconic British landmarks and attractions. Heathfield girls gave the 15 OSCAR girls who came to stay a fantastically warm reception and they have loved mixing and talking together. There has been a host of planned activities
Spring 2019
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