PANJIM: Football is just not about playing. Many times there is more to football then just passing the ball. Keeping this in mind Goa Football Development Council (GFDC) Technical Director Katz Naidoo spends his weekends with the orphans in Agassaim, run by the Holy Family Sisters.
Every Saturday, over thirty boys are taught not just football but most importantly motor skills that help develop their mind and body. “Sometimes the children have to be trained the basics if you want them to be stars of tomorrow. They have to learn to feel the ball, to be flexible, not just physically but in their mind too. It is all about learning to have fun,” says Katz.
The boys go to school in the morning in Agassaim. They come back have lunch and play. After that there is study time. Most are from problematic homes. There are tantrums thrown. But, we have seen a lot of change after Katz and his people have come. The boys are more obedient now. There is a lot of change and we and the other nuns are happy,” states Sr Nirmala Dias, the Superior of the orphanage.
“We receive no grants. We are four sisters who work in school during the day. Our whole salary is used for these children. We get help from some good people and Katz and Elvis Gomes are some of them,” states Sister Nirmala.
“We must help anyone we can. I came to know about this orphanage through some of my friends. I asked Katz and he was only too happy. So, here we are. Football also cannot develop if the community does not develop. Ours is the first step. We expect the rest of the community to galvanise itself,” stated Gomes who monitors the social responsibility activities of GFDC.
We have started with the orphanage. Katz and a few others dedicate their weekend time for such work. Going by the looks at what they were doing there was happiness all around. The kids were happy; the sisters were happy and most importantly Katz and his motley crew were happy. It is time for more, they all said.
