Project Title: “Unseen Champion”- ADAPTIVE FOOTBALL IN ACTION!
Implementation Period: Sept – Dec 2025
Location: Central Secondary School for the Deaf, Naxal
Date of Championship: 20 December 2025
Project “Unseen Championship “with Deaf Girls marked a significant milestone in advancing inclusive sports in Nepal. The project focused on empowering young deaf girls through structured football training, improved sporting facilities and a culminating competitive championship that celebrated ability, confidence, and teamwork.
Implemented by Together for Nepal (TFN) with technical support from ENGAGE Nepal, and generously supported by CBM Global Disability Inclusion, the initiative directly engaged over 32 deaf female students from the Central Secondary School for the Deaf, Naxal. Over a four month period, participants took part in more than 12 intensive football training camps, led by three emerging coaches—Mahesh Rai, Arun Gurung, and Samir Kadka. These sessions focused on technical skill development, team coordination, discipline, and confidence building.
In parallel with capacity building, the project addressed critical gaps in sports infrastructure within the school. A dedicated changing room was established and equipped with lockers, benches, and clothes hangers, creating a safe and dignified space for female athletes. Basic gym equipment and essential coaching materials—such as footballs, cones, nets, pumps, and tactical whiteboards, dumbells etc —were also provided, significantly improving the overall training environment.
The project concluded with an inclusive football championship involving four teams—Deaf Empower Team, Lily FC, Deaf FCB, and Stars Deaf—comprising deaf players and supported by three non-deaf national-level players (Sabina Rai, Rina, and Dikshya), who served as mentors and motivators. The final match between Stars Deaf and Deaf Empower Team ended with a 0–3 victory for Deaf Empower Team. Notably, the championship successfully introduced over 20 first-time players to organized football, highlighting the project’s strong outreach and inclusion impact.
Beyond competition, the initiative fostered values such as sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork, and perseverance. Stakeholders emphasized the project’s role in revealing hidden talent and expanding opportunities for deaf girls who often face systemic barriers to participation. The collaboration demonstrated how inclusive sports can be a powerful tool for empowerment, dignity, and social inclusion.
Overall, “Unseen Champions” stands as a meaningful step toward equitable access to sports for girls with hearing disabilities and lays a strong foundation for future inclusive sporting initiatives in Nepal.
