About the Organisation
Dribble Academy Foundation is a sport for development not-for-profit that works with at-risk children from urban slums. We deploy a unique approach for their upliftment by providing basketball training free of cost. Additionally, we work together with these children to improve their digital literacy, soft skills and nutrition.
The Foundation started in 2016 with two students, a hoop and just two bamboo poles. Within 4 years, our training programme has expanded to 9 villages across 3 states with over 1500 students, of which over 500 are girls. The impact of our training programme has been phenomenal with some of our students representing India in the Junior NBA Championships held in Orlando, USA.
Many of our students have played the game at the District and State levels. Students have also received full scholarships to some of the top sports schools in India.
About the Cause
At the heart of Dribble Academy Foundation lies our belief that if children have access to basic sports and education, they grow into contributing and conscientious citizens.
We understand that a lot of talent gets lost at the grassroots level as India currently lives under conditions of abject poverty.
Thus, along with our kids being exposed to world-class basketball training, we also focus on specific areas of impact. These include an increase in attendance for both sports and school timings, educational access through support for English, Maths and Computer skills, nutrition to kids who can’t afford even a single meal, and basic skill development in areas of health and sanitation, environmental protection and harassment awareness.
Our ultimate goal is to empower each child to see a better life for their family and in turn better communities, be it in basketball or elsewhere.
COVID Response: Before the pandemic situation, our on-ground operations were in full swing. However, the lockdown presented to us a very unique situation where we had to move our beneficiary engagement online. We conduct daily fitness and yoga sessions along with frequent sessions on mental health, quizzes, theatre and singing sessions. Our primary means of engagement with beneficiaries has been through social media, WhatsApp and Zoom calls.
Intended Beneficiaries
Our beneficiaries are at-risk students from urban slums in the age group of 7-16. Most of the students come from families with single earning parents who make a living out of daily wages. The living situation is far from ideal for these children where 6-7 family members reside in single 150-200 square feet rooms.
Our work is focused on improving their lives and providing them with an opportunity to rise out of abject poverty through basketball, which in turn would also impact their families and the communities they are a part of.
Intended Volunteers
If you have prior experience in working with children and can volunteer an hour each week through your desired area of expertise, it would directly translate to our students getting exposure and acquiring new skills which would ensure that their time spent at home is fruitful.
Expected Skill Sets:
- 1. Prior Teaching experience
- 2. Educational teaching experience
- 3. English Grammar
- 4. Theatre
- 5. Origami
- 6. Counselling
- 7. Story Telling
- 8. Experience in conducting other recreational sessions for students
- 9. Fluency in Hindi and English
Project Duration: Until school re-opening (Subject to Governmental decision)
Hours/ Week Expected: 1-2 hours