Sitting on our day off as I currently am outside our glamping tent in the Koshi Tappu nature reserve after a leisurely breakfast (a rarity for anyone on a CWB project) feels like a good time to sit back and reflect on our first week coaching in and around Rajbiraj.
It is almost exactly two-years ago that I first visited Rajbiraj with CWB, a medium sized municipality in the south-eastern part of Madhesh Province, Nepal close to the Indian border. We are in the flat terai region a traditional hotbed of cricket in Nepal, there is cricket everywhere. As we travelled yesterday (Saturday, the one day that children here get off school) we witnessed dozens of games: in the fields, on the side of the road, in the dry riverbeds and in the yards of houses as we passed through small farming communities.
A natural question then to ask would be: why travel such a long way to coach a game that is already being played everywhere? This is why you have to look closer. What we witnessed was boys playing cricket – the more careful observer would see that in the fields as the boys played the girls were often working the land, as the boys played in the yards the girls were washing or hanging out clothes to dry.
This is why we are here, to try to chip away at these stereotypes and provide opportunities for everyone to have some time to play. In total last week 1,373 children across 18 schools of which 56% were female got to play cricket and also participate in discussions around what stops more girls playing and how we can all work together to start to change this.
But numbers only tell you so much, for a better way let me introduce you to Sakshi Dev.
Sakshi Dev’s journey from a volleyball enthusiast to a Cricket Changemaker is for me an example of CWB at it’s best. On hearing that there was cricket happening at the PaBi ground near her home she came along to see what was happening.
Despite being a newcomer to cricket, Sakshi’s athletic prowess and quick learning ability allowed her to integrate seamlessly. She took an active role from the outset, demonstrating not only good basic skills but was straight away assisting others.
10 days after her cricket journey began, Sakshi was selected to represent the Saptari district in the Equality Cup in Biratnagar, an event that featured national team players.
Transitioning from player to coach, Sakshi achieved her ICC Level 1 coaching certificate, and then was selected to join the Cricket Changemakers programme. She took on the responsibility of leading training sessions at the PaBi ground and ventured into local schools to coach other girls. This move was instrumental in spreading the game and empowering young girls in her community, demonstrating that they, too, could aspire to greatness in sports.
The initial resistance from her mother, reflective of broader societal reservations about women in sports, especially in roles traditionally dominated by men, eventually turned into support. This change was driven by the visible impact of Sakshi’s passion for cricket and her dedication to empowering others. Balancing college studies with her coaching duties, Sakshi uses her earnings from coaching to finance her education.
A highlight for me was when demonstrating her confidence and expertise, Sakshi requested a male CWB volunteer from the UK to step aside, asserting her capability to lead the session more effectively. This act wasn’t just about asserting her skill but also to me highlighted how much she has grown as a coach in such a short space of time.
Sakshi Dev’s narrative is more than just an account of personal achievement; it’s a testament to the power of sports as a vehicle for social change and gender equality. Her transition from a volleyball player with a budding interest in cricket to a pioneering cricket coach and Changemaker reflects a broader shift towards inclusivity and empowerment in sports, setting a powerful example for young girls and women everywhere.
Lee
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