Institutions of change

I am very proud that a world-renowned club like FC Barcelona has picked Anantapurfor its first academy in Asia says, Moncho ferrer, the brain behind the scheme.

A silent revolution. This headline in Life magazine on the work being done in Maharashtra’s Manmad district caused an upheaval in Father Vincent Ferrer’s life. With the local politicians opposing him, he was forced to leave Maharashtra. He was forced to moved to Anantapur where he establish the Rural Development Trust — one that is now actively using sport as a way of changing lives.

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Coming up is a hockey academy in collaboration with Stick Amb Hockey (Stick for India) a Spanish charity organisation. This academy houses 30 children picked through camps run by Enrich and local coaches.

Stick Amb India has roped in Spanish international Santi Freixa, Australian striker Jamie Dwayer, Dutch drag flicker Taeke Takaema, German Timo Wess to help raise funds. The academy is now hoping to install an Astro-turf at the Anantpur Sports Village.

Nadal Tennis School

The other big project is the Tennis Academy in collaboration with the Rafael Nadal Foundation. The Nadal Foundation is helping establish a residential academy with four clay courts by year-end. Nadal’s mother Ana Maria Ferera visited Anantapur early this year. Work on the project is expected to start in September and should be completed in the New Year.

Cricket too

The RDT also hopes to set up a cricket academy at ASV, says Moncho Ferrer. RDT has been conducting a rural tournament for schoolchildren here for the past 10 years. Ferrer dreams of providing sports facilities in all 63 mandals of Anantapur district. “That’s my dream because sport that unifies people.”