Jamuna is 17 and her family moved to Bangalore from Assam in North East India. She started school late and has not been able to physically attend school for two years, despite using her father’s phone to attend online classes four times a week.
Jamuna saw lots of children playing rugby and wanted to join in. At first, her family wouldn’t allow her to take part – the idea of their daughter playing out was not something they understood or wanted. Coaches from Khelo Rugby, our local partners in India, visited her family and explained how lots of girls like Jamuna were playing the game, and how the programme supported children with their education and other vital lifeskills. After some time, Jamuna’s parents allowed her to take part in the programme.
Today, Jamuna is an active young leader in Khelo Rugby. In December she was a Coach at the Bangalore Winter Camp, and before that Jamuna was selected to play for Karnataka State in the national rugby 7s played in Bhubaneswar. She has also received help with her education, through Khelo’s educational support programme.
Jamuna loves her rugby and would one day love to play for India, but she is also crazy about food and has an ambition to become a chef. We’re proud to work with local organisations like Khelo Rugby who are breaking down gender stereotypes amongst communities and giving children a platform to thrive.
