Sport tackles sex trafficking

BY JO BEAR

IN 2018, I first travelled to Kolkata with Bruce Claridge and his team who were helping to run AFL football championships in India.

While Bruce and his team taught footy, I introduced the concept of Indian women and girls playing netball and the benefits that it provided to a group of leaders who were working in organisations aiming to prevent trafficking of girls into forced child labour or sex trafficking.

I talked about my experience of playing netball for over 40 years within a small rural community and although it can be considered as just a game, it has the capacity to create a safe, encouraging and empowering environment where women can flourish, develop self-confidence, personal power and celebrate each other’s differences.

Although the game of netball is not known in India, the leaders were inspired by what netball could bring to the communities that they were working with. They especially liked the following ideas: z Fun: netball provided an opportunity to laugh and have fun with others. Opportunity to forget about their worries for a while; z Feeling special: highlighting the fact that netball is normally played by women. It is celebrated as a women’s game. With many women in India considered a second priority under men, this concept was also very important to the leaders. z Belonging and trust: the opportunity to build a team environment, where people look out for each other and learn to work together was also an important facet. It allows a bond to develop with the girls and provide opportunity for women to share any issues that may be going on outside netball z Acceptance: accept each other’s different strengths and are celebrated as individuals within the team. Each netball position on the court has a different role and so we need women of different abilities to match these positions. And to win a game of netball we need each roles played well. z Confidence - learning to work towards a common team goal. Reaching these goals shows the value of hard work, collaboration and commitment. All skills that can be taken out into life to assist women with education and careers. z Tool for springboarding - the leaders also liked the idea that by building a team of girls they could encourage the girls to undertake other empowering skills - namely attending school, learning English, women’s health, child rights

With rural communities in India being targeted for trafficking and exploitation, the community leaders could see that having netball teams developed within rural communities of India, could assist them make stronger connections to the girls and hence provide a “fun” way of helping girls.

In early February, from Perth I travelled to India to once again build the netball program again that she had first started in 2018. The main purpose of the trip was to build some concrete plans about how to move forward with the project.

Questions were taken over: Is netball still relevant to the girls and women? Can netball still be used as a crucial tool in building self-confidence and personal power to the women in the villages? Can we connect women from Australia and India to achieve positive wellbeing outcomes for both parties?

After a three-year delay due to COVID we were amazed and inspired that the local community leaders within the tea garden villages had continued to build the netball program.

There is now four villages playing netball, each with two junior teams. The mothers and adult women are also looking to start up teams. In 2023, the leaders are planning to introduce netball to another two villages.

The villages are based in the tea gardens of the northern part of West Bengal state; an area of India in between Nepal and Bhutan and situated in the Himalaya foothills.. The villages are within the tea gardens and as such the people who live in the villages are dependent on the tea company for their work and wages, accommodation and life quality.

Most workers only receive $9 for a 12-hour day, the village children are at high risk of being exploited. Over 80 per cent of the children in these villages are at risk of being trafficked, employed as child labour or assaulted within their homes.

During the recent visit, the teams from all the villages came together to compete in a netball tournament with both an under 14 and under 21 competition being played between the four villages.

Appreciating these girls have only been learning netball since 2019 and had no knowledge of the netball game prior to this, I was amazed how skilled and competitive they were. And they loved it.

We were also embraced by the mothers of the girls who performed a tribal dance to both welcome us at the beginning of the day and then to thank us at the end. This was especially moving and empowering for the Australian group - it provided a positive sign that the families were happy with what we were doing for their children.

We met with the community leaders who are keen to continue our project and can see many new women’s empowerment pathways that can open up. As a group, we discussed introducing career advice, education assistance, women’s health and introduction of Days For Girls project in the area.

The leaders are also planning to introduce netball to another two villages in 2023. We left India with a plan in place. In October and November, we are planning to travel back over for a weekend expo/ camp in the Dooars region.

All the girls that are currently playing netball will be invited. At the expo, there will be a netball tournament and then workshops on careers, women’s health, children’s rights, education and leadership.

Before the expo, we will spend a few days going to the villages to undertake netball skills training for each team.

With the focus on grassroots community netball and its importance, we will be asking local people who have a deep appreciation for country netball to be involved in the trip.

Three jumpers from Melbourne jumped from a height of about 6000 feet above the carnival grounds.

The following year saw the addition of events by the Inglewood Pony Club on offer alongside the usual mix of events including wood chop, foot running, tennis, gallops, Miss Carnival Girl and a polocrosse match exhibition took place.

Bendigo Imperial Marching Girls provided a demonstration of their skills in 1979 and the St. Arnaud Norman Simpson Memorial Pipe Band provided music entertainment to patrons.

Admission for the 109th carnival was adults $1 and children under 14 free.

On the day of the 113th carnival in 1983 heavy rain fell and this resulted in crowd numbers down and the volunteers having extra work to do - $500 was received under Insurance against rain after 5.5 mm fell between 11am and 1pm. Despite this, only the tennis tournament was cancelled.

At 2pm, the rain passed and the crowd enjoyed the afternoon of mixed sports of gallops, footraces, wood chop, carnival girl, sheep judging, bowling at the wicket and clay shoot.

The vintage tractor pull was added to the sports program in 1990. The Walmer Gun Club, Inglewood Pony Club and Wimmera Axemen’s Association conducted their events for the enjoyment of the crowd.

Alongside these popular events were foot racing, novelty events, horse gallops and tennis. The crowd also enjoyed playing hoopla, lucky envelopes, spinning wheel, under and over and lucky dip.

For the 123rd carnival in 1993, past popular events were included again on the program- vintage tractor pull, Walmer Gun Club, Wimmera Axeman’s Associ- ation, Central Zone Pony Club, Airports Skydivers display.

This was also the last year that horse gallops were held at a Rheola Carnival. After 123 years of horse events in some form- trots, gallops it had become too dangerous to hold amongst the other events of the day and the decision was made not to hold horse gallops from 1994 onwards.

The 125th Rheola Charity Carnival saw many former residents return to the district as part of the celebrations as an informal “back to”.

The day was run along the same lines as previous years including the vintage tractor pull, Wimmera Axeman’s Association, Walmer Gun Club, Pony Club, Maryborough District Historic Vehicle Club to display cars. The Dunolly Brass band entertained the Carnival patrons.

Yard dog trials were introduced as a new event the next year and the night entertainment in the Rheola Hall was presented by the Southern Country Boot Scooters which combined old time dancing and line dancing.

This was to be the last year of night entertainment as part of the Rheola Charity Carnival.

Chappel - Sharon Elizabeth 18/3/23

Passed away suddenly at home, Pompapiel.

Devoted and loving wife of Darryl. Mother of Bree, Harry, Tom, Campbell and family of Chloe and Nathan. I know you’re watching over us, Until we meet again.

Fire

Period

Yung Balug Keeping Place

The Museum is situated on the property of Paul & Cathie Haw.

Well worth a visit to see the amazing Artefacts collected from the Boort Region.

A recent addition is 34 photos taken by John Hunter Kerr in the 1850s. This was made possible by the State Library of Victoria.

Everyone is welcome. but please call or Email before visiting.

Phone - 0417 333 171

Email - paulcathiehaw@gmail.com

First holes

A SEVEN-HOLE greenskeeper’s games was played at Tarnagulla Golf Club on Saturday.

Women’s winner was Meredith Harwood, men Shaun Maver and nearest the pin Garry Harwood.

The club’s next event is its Easter Cup, a nine-hole threeball ambrose.

Club president this year is Liam Radich, vice-president Sean Raich, treasurer Jan Sharman and secretary Mary McNamee.

Course ready

INGLEWOOD Golf Club members have prepared their course ready for the new season. A working bee was held on Sunday.

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