Children are part of our journey, and we are part of theirs. Relationships are a two-way street. While an organization works diligently to support its beneficiaries, it is equally important for the beneficiaries to believe in and trust the process. This mutual trust and collaboration foster growth for both parties.
In a world where young people frequently change jobs to explore new opportunities, there is significant value in working long-term within an organization, especially one focused on behavior change.
Longevity allows us to witness and contribute to the transformative journeys of the individuals we support. By fostering enduring relationships, we become integral parts of each other’s growth stories.
This continuity not only enhances our impact on their development but also enriches our own professional and personal growth through deep, meaningful connections and sustained commitment to positive change.
We recently shared about our Youth Coach, Kajal, participating in a prestigious coaches training program in the US.
This journey is potentially a turning point in how she will view and live the rest of her life. But just as we felt excited for her and the prospects that open up with this experience, we realized how much Kajal has been a part of our journey as we have been of hers.
Here are some significant moments from Kajal’s journey with Project KHEL :
15. June 26, 2024
A selfie from when Akshai and Angana saw Kajal off at the Lucknow airport. Akshai travelled with her to Mumbai, using the two-hour flight to brief her about the immigration process. Could we be any prouder? *Read this as Chandler Bing!*
14. October 2023
Kajal’s first time on the beach with nine other young athletes her age. It was also Project KHEL’s first time at a beach tournament. We lost most matches, but the experience we created in those three days was invaluable.
13. August 2022
Kajal’s first championship as a state level athlete. This was also India’s first inter-state Ultimate championship and Uttar Pradesh’s first-ever state team. Akshai’s first time coaching a state team and Project KHEL’s first time sponsoring one. All 20 players, except two, were athletes trained by Project KHEL, with Akshai as their proud coach.
12. January 2022
Kajal’s first time on a mountain during our first half-team trip post-COVID. You can see Akshai pulling Kajal’s leg to give her a taste of what sliding off a slope feels like.
11. March 2020
Kajal’s farewell just before the first lockdown. Kajal and her gang of girls were the first group to graduate school while enrolled in Project KHEL’s programs. Also Kajal wearing Angana’s saree… her first (and to date, only) time she wore one.
10. December 2019
Kajal recieves a bicycle.
9. November 2019
Kajal’s First Tournament as a Full-Time Working Woman and Frisbee Athlete. She began regular practice just five months prior and won her first Most Valued Player title after a match. A proud moment for her coach.
8. July 2019
Kajal’s First TEDx Talk. She cried during the practices that Akshai and Angana made her go through… and then both of them were in tears as she spoke so confidently on stage in front of hundreds. It was our first time having one of our children as a lead speaker on the TEDx platform.
7. May 2019
Kajal’s first meeting as a Working Woman. This was shot almost an hour after we got her released from the shelter home where she grew up.
6. May 2019
Kajal’s first day as an independent young woman, marking Project KHEL’s first attempt at getting someone out of the CCI system thanks to Angana’s untiring efforts at her shelter home over the last few years!
5. May 2019
Kajal actually led her first session as a ‘KHEL didi’, even before her release from the shelter home was finalized.
4. October 2017
Project KHEL hosted the first edition of Lucknow Ultimate Open, inviting teams from outside Lucknow. A team from Pataliputra joined without any women, so we invited four girls from our Ultimate Frisbee camp. This was Kajal’s first tournament, and now she is in the US as an assistant coach alongside some of the best international coaches in the world!
3. June 2016
This photo is from Project KHEL’s first residential camp in collaboration with Bridging the Gap. We had participants from different parts of the country. With permissions from the Childline and the CWC we also got to have four girls from a shelter home participate. This was Kajal’s first time out for four full days without any police or security guard.
2. October 2015
Project KHEL hosted the Global Peace Games led by our Youth Leaders. This was Kajal and her friends’ first day out without any police or security personnel and our first attempt at hosting a day camp led entirely by our children.
December 2013
The first photo of Kajal, taken when she felt nothing but anger for the world. She looked into one of our facilitator’s eyes and said she hated us and never wanted to join us. Look how she is standing outside the class, watching as the rest of the girls participate. This was Project KHEL’s first-ever partnership with a government shelter home.
From pictures 15 to 1, Kajal has come a long way, and so has Project KHEL with her.
