MONACO, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Indian sport for development program Yuwa has been announced as the 2019 Laureus Sport for Good Award winner, one day ahead of Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony.
The Laureus Sport for Good Award is presented to an organization or individual who has used the power of sport to improve the lives of young people. The Laureus World Sports Academy believes that Yuwa has made an outstanding contribution to society using football as a tool to transform the lives of young girls.
Yuwa works in the rural region of Jharkhand in northern India, which ranks among the highest in the country for female vulnerability. The young girls in the program use football to overcome violence, child marriage, endless poverty and a lack of opportunity.
Football is played by 450 girls in the program, but Yuwa also offers education from highly qualified teachers for 95 young girls, empowering them to choose their own futures. They learn to speak English fluently, build self-confidence and self-worth and start to change perceptions of what a girl from a rural village in India is capable of achieving.
Yuwa founders Franz and Rose and program participants Neeta, Hema, Konika and Radha will receive the Laureus statuette for their inspirational work in the sport for development space at Monday's Laureus World Sports Awards Ceremony.
In 2018, nearly 300,000 young people all over the world directly benefited from more than 160 Laureus Sport for Good supported projects in 40 countries, working to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage by using sport as a tool for change.
"People talk about the beautiful game, and the Laureus-supported Yuwa program is a wonderful example of the beautiful impact our sport can have," said French legendary football coach Arsene Wenger.
"The work Yuwa is doing in rural communities in India reaches far beyond the football pitch. They are changing perceptions, improving lives and giving young girls the chance to create brighter futures," he added.
"We are lucky enough to learn about innovative and inspirational programs who are using sport to better the lives of young people in their communities. Football for these young girls in the Yuwa program is a life-changing opportunity, and the young girls here today are proof of that," Sean Fitzpatrick, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, pointed out.
