From ₹10,000 to Real Playgrounds – Newage Evolution Foundation

From ₹10,000 to Real Playgrounds: A Ground Story from Waliya Kheda Government School

Did you enjoy playing sports during your school days?

If yes, which games did you play the most—volleyball, football, cricket, badminton, kabaddi, kho-kho or perhaps something else that I might not even know but you played passionately? I consider myself fortunate because I had access to a playground near my home and friends to play with. Sports were always a part of my daily routine.
But the situation was different in this school.
I studied in a private school where the focus was largely on academics. Yes, we had an annual sports day, but it often felt more like a formality than a reflection of a strong sports culture. We did not even have a proper playground or adequate sports facilities. That was my experience.

Now, let me take you to a different story—a story from a government school in Waliya Kheda village.
Before that, it is important to understand how sports are supported in government schools.
Sports and Physical Education are part of the Samagra Shiksha scheme, which provides financial assistance for procuring sports equipment for both indoor and outdoor games. Under this scheme, schools receive annual grants:

Up to ₹5,000 for Primary schools
Up to ₹10,000 for Upper Primary schools
Up to ₹25,000 for Secondary and Senior Secondary schools

Additionally, under revised norms, an extra ₹25,000 is provided if at least two students from a school win medals in the Khelo India Youth Games.
On paper, this reflects a structured support system. But how effectively does this support reach students? What does reality look like on the ground?
Consider this: a primary school receives just ₹5,000 annually. With such a limited amount, even basic sports equipment becomes difficult to procure.
Now, let us look at the Government Upper Primary School in Waliya Kheda. Located nearly 80–85 km from Udaipur, the school lies in a remote tribal region, surrounded by hills and close to a river. Reaching the school is challenging due to damaged roads and mobile connectivity is almost non-existent.
Despite these conditions, students continue to attend school and learn with determination.
The school receives ₹10,000 annually for sports under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. Managing and maintaining sports facilities within this budget is not easy.
Yet, the teachers chose not to be limited by constraints.
They installed a volleyball pole using a damaged hand pump pipe, creating at least a basic opportunity for students to play. However, the school still lacks adequate sports equipment and infrastructure necessary for holistic sports development.
This reflects both the challenges and the quiet dedication present in such remote schools.

To address this gap, the CSR initiative Project Leveling the Playing Field stepped in, and the school was enrolled in the program.
After assessing the ground realities, Newage Evolution Foundation intervened with a clear objective: to enable access to structured sports opportunities. The school received a multi-sports equipment kit along with additional accessories.
Beyond material support, structured sports sessions were conducted for students. These sessions focused on:

Understanding different sports
Learning basic rules and gameplay
Following essential safety precautions

In addition, a sports injury awareness session was conducted. Students were introduced to medical sports kits and guided on their proper use in case of injuries.

This is just one story from Project Levelling the Playing Field.
So far, the initiative has reached more than 250+ government schools, and many more such stories are still unfolding—stories of resilience, resourcefulness and the quiet transformation of school environments through sports.