Patna: In a bid to promote women’s empowerment through sports, JEEViKA on Tuesday partnered with the Centre for Equity and Inclusion (CEQUIN) to launch ‘Kickstart Equality’, a football-based leadership programme for adolescent girls.The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on International Olympic Day. The initiative will be implemented in Dhanarua and Naubatpur blocks of Patna district and aims to build confidence, leadership qualities and decision-making skills among girls through football.Over the next two years, local football coaches and youth facilitators will be trained as peer mentors, while participating girls will undergo structured football and life-skills training sessions. The programme also seeks to generate evidence on how sports-based interventions can contribute to community development and gender equality.Speaking on the occasion, JEEViKA CEO Himanshu Sharma said the initiative aims to unlock the potential of adolescent girls while helping Bihar emerge as a key player in India’s sporting landscape.Officials said the long-term objective is to develop a scalable model that can be expanded across Bihar to strengthen girls’ participation in sports and leadership roles.Backed by the Gates Foundation, the project will leverage JEEViKA’s self-help group network, the state sports department’s infrastructure and CEQUIN’s expertise in gender-focused sports programmes. It will be implemented through SHGs and cluster-level federations to create local support systems for girls pursuing sports.
