A game of football that transformed the lives of hundreds of girls in a small village of Jharkhand

“Yes, parents focus more on boys than girls”, “Government schools are not attentive to children’s needs”, “The biggest problem girls face is the responsibility of household work… when no girl will be expected to do household work, only then will we be free”- these are not the words of a renowned social scientist or researcher but that of 19-year-old Sunita residing in Ormajhi village near Ranchi, Jharkhand. As she picks up the phone and initiates with a calm and composed- “Hi, I’m Sunita”, you get the feeling that you are in the presence of a young, independent girl who has tackled life and its umpteen challenges head-on. The ensuing conversation not only confirmed the initial impression but also shed light on her intelligence, wisdom and work-ethic rarely observed in a teenager.