Sathi finds a way for her football dream

For 15-year-old Sathi, winning a prize in a primary school football competition ignited her dreams of becoming a famous player.

But Sathi lives in a remote village in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, where football is considered a boys' game.

As the youngest of a big family of four boys and three girls, Sathi played football with her siblings before joining the team at her primary school when she was in Class Four.

"I was very fond of playing football since I was eight years old. My brother used to play football, and he inspired me. We played football together in our yard. He taught me how to take a shot,” Sathi said.

Sathi’s primary school team took part in a tournament in 2016 and she got to experience her first championship win. But her football dream started fading when she was admitted to Class Six. There was no girls' football team at high school.

"Winning a tournament at age 10 was a significant achievement for me, and I started dreaming of becoming a famous footballer. But when I was admitted to Class Six, I couldn't play football anymore,” Sathi said.

“I was afraid to tell my teacher that I wanted to play football. I always missed playing football."

In the afternoons, with a broken heart, Sathi wandered in the empty yard of her home. She didn’t even have a football to practice with, and there was no girls' team in her village either. Sometimes she played with the kids of the neighbours, but she thought her football dream was over.

But determined Sathi found a way to play again.

In February 2021, through the third phase of the Australian Humanitarian Partnership response in Bangladesh, World Vision began a project on child protection and education, focusing on gender equality and disability inclusion. The project enrolled 1,400 adolescents from Rohingya refugee camps and host communities, establishing 25 youth clubs. The clubs provide sessions on child protection, while also supporting recreation activities for children and young people to reduce stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sathi joined one of the youth clubs and made many new friends. She told them about her dream. And when World Vision provided recreation materials to the youth club, Sathi asked for a football.

"In youth club, we provide sessions on child marriage, child labor, trafficking and hygiene,” said Sadia Afroz, a project officer with World Vision.  

“We also provide recreation materials like board games, skipping ropes for the girls and footballs for the boys. But Sathi asked us for a football for the girls,” Sadia said.

Now, as the afternoon sun sets to the west in a rural village in Cox’s Bazar, a group of adolescent girls play football on the open paddy field. The captain of the team? Sathi.

Her team of 14 girls still needs gloves, boots and a coach, but Sathi says she won’t give up.

"I'm so happy that I can play football again and we have a football team from our youth club. But I need a football coach and playing equipment. If I get more support, I will fulfil my dream."

The AHP response in Bangladesh, supported by the Australian Government, involves six Australian NGO partners, along with 10 national implementing partners. The response focuses on WASH, education, health, protection, gender equality, disability inclusion, localisation and disaster risk reduction.

Above: Sathi is a passionate footballer, but when she started high school she no longer had a team to play on — until she formed her own. Photo: World Vision Bangladesh Rohingya Crisis Response

Above: Sathi (2nd right, bottom row) and her team are showing that football is not just a game for boys. Photo: Photo: World Vision Bangladesh Rohingya Crisis Response

Above: Sathi and the team at practice. Photo: World Vision Bangladesh Rohingya Crisis Response