SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) - As one of the smallest members of the Metuchen High School girls soccer program, Janani Shivakumar is making the biggest impact, one that transcends the playing field with global reach.
The precocious sophomore, who speaks with an eloquence and grace that belies her young age, was one of several high school and college students invited to share their respective peace projects during the United Nations Department of Global Communications’ annual Student Observance for the International Day of Peace at U.N. headquarters in New York City last week.
This year’s theme - Climate Action for Peace - drew attention to the importance of combatting climate change as a way to protect and promote peace throughout the world.
Shivakumar is the founder of Girls Play Global, a nonprofit initiative that educates and empowers underprivileged girls in India with the goal of addressing global issues such as gender equality and battling gender bias.
She spoke at the United Nations, however, regarding her latest project, Kicks for Climate Action, a campaign that uses soccer as a tool to raise awareness about climate change among high school girls in rural parts of India.
“I wasn’t expecting that at all,” Shivakumar said of being selected to speak about her project at the United Nations. “Most of the students were college students. Once they did accept my project, I was super-excited. I had been to the U.N. last year, but this was my first time actually speaking there. They had a separate row for the student speakers. We were sitting pretty close to the U.N. Secretary general. That itself was nerve-wracking.”
Shivakumar, who has lived in both the United States and India, visited various government schools in the latter, where she educated girls about the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals regarding responsible consumption and climate action.
“Since most of the girls that receive free soccer training through Girls Play Global come from agricultural backgrounds, they were greatly affected by climate change over the past few years and continue to struggle due to the water scarcity issues in their villages,” Shivakumar said during her speech, noting she also had the opportunity to speak to more than 1,000 students about the impact of animal agriculture on the planet, as well as reach a global audience through articles she authored about climate change for UNICEF’s Voice of Youth.
“Through this education and outreach process, the girls were able to build their self-confidence and become role models in their community by advocating for climate action. They were also able to implement the skills they learned by adopting plant-based diets, promoting rain water harvesting and planting more trees.”
Shivakumar said some of the girls she addressed are training to participate in the regional Global Goals World Cup, where they will represent their village, Perur, and educate others about how making minor changes in daily habits can positively impact the environment.
“As a part of the youth community, I strongly believe that we must act now before it is too late, to ensure that upcoming generations can live in a sustainable environment,” Shivakumar said during her three-minute U.N. address, which was livestreamed and is available on demand at UN Web TV.
“Every sustainable transformation begins from a change in individual action, so let us do our part and practice an ecofriendly lifestyle to stop climate change. As Swami Vivekananda said, ’Arise, awake and do not stop until the goal is reached.’”
Shivakumar attended Metuchen Christian Academy before enrolling in Metuchen Public Schools. She has been playing soccer since the second grade and is currently a member of the high school’s girls junior varsity team.
Shivakumar said opportunities for females to participate in the sport in India were limited because “none of the coaches were eager to train” girls. While in India, Shivakumar joined an all-boys soccer team. She returned to New Jersey with the idea for her Girls Play Global initiative.
“In a world where girls are often discriminated against and suppressed, our organization attempts to make girls better leaders through sports,” reads a message on the Facebook page of Shivakumar’s nonprofit. “At Girls Play Global, we’re working together to increase the number of opportunities for girls to participate in sports at their local schools. Our programs and activities are designed to help girls reach their goals and fulfill their potential.”
Shivakumar visited high schools in rural India during her summer break, speaking with girls in underserved communities who lack basic athletic facilities and qualified trainers. She worked with local coaches there to motivate the students and help them build self-confidence, physical fitness and mental wellness, while also educating the girls about the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“We have identified a team of 20 girls in Coimbatore, India and arranged for their basic soccer equipment and a coach to train them on weekly basis,” Shivakumar wrote in a letter soliciting equipment donations.
“We are planning to expand this program to nearby government-run high schools, as I met a great number of talented girls out there who are interested in soccer but just don’t have the necessary resources to pursue their interest. Since we are in the process of expanding, we are really in need of soccer cleats, mini goal posts, balls and other soccer gear donations.”
Online: https://bit.ly/2nXw11r
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Information from: Courier News (Bridgewater, N.J.) , http://www.mycentraljersey.com
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