A Veranda, a Clean Ground and a Kabaddi Trophy

Something shifted at Government Middle School, Chahar Majra this week. Two things, really. The children have shelter. And they have a trophy.

Shivani Sidhu

8/2/20262 min read

A Veranda, a Clean Ground and a Kabaddi Trophy

Something shifted at Government Middle School, Chahar Majra this week. Two things, really. The children have shelter. And they have a trophy.

Sahyog Sanstha's team completed a 25 X 10 foot veranda in the last week of July. The spot where students collect drinking water and where staff prepare daily meals now sits under a proper roof. Steel frame. Roofing sheets. Simple, honest work. The new water cooler goes under this same shelter.

Shivani Sidhu, Founder of Sahyog Sanstha, walked the grounds before the build began. In her words, "The spot where students collect drinking water sat open to the sky. Monsoon soaked it. Summer cooked it. We knew this had to be the first fix."

Raahi Rakhra, who has been leading the on-ground coordination for Project Neev, added, "The children now have shade at the water point. Staff have proper covered space for meal prep and daily activity. It is a small structure, but it changes the entire rhythm of the school day."

Landscaping starts the first week of August. The crew will begin clearing and grading the grounds, the first real step toward the 200 metre track that has been in planning.

Three people to thank:

Nitin Goyal made this build happen behind the scenes. He sourced supplies, connected the team to contractors and vendors and kept the timeline moving. Without him, the veranda would still be a drawing on paper.
Sunil Saini teaches at the school. He also coaches every sports team the school fields. He puts in hours no one asks him to put in, spends from his own pocket for the kids and worked alongside the installers through this build. Dedication like his is rare. The students feel it every day.
Capt. Chanan Sidhu has lived in the area for the last twenty years and has been a steady supporter of the village and the surrounding community throughout that time. He is leading the landscaping effort and drawing up the plans for the running track. His knowledge of the land, the soil and the seasons is exactly what a project like this needs. In his own words, "I have called this area home for two decades. These kids deserve a proper ground to run on, to train on, to grow on. If I can help build that, I am all in."

A trophy from Mullanpur Zone

While the welders were fixing roof sheets to the frame, the students were bringing home medals. The girls Kabaddi team took 1st Position in the Mullanpur Zone National Style tournament, beating GSSS Hoshiarpur by nine points in a close final. The boys team took 2nd Position in the same zone.

Raahi, who visited the school shortly after the results came in, said, "Watching these kids play is humbling. They train in worn shoes on rough ground and still beat schools with better facilities. Imagine what happens when we hand them proper gear."

Here is where you come in!

Sahyog Sanstha is raising funds to give these young athletes what they need to compete at district and state level:
1. Kabaddi shoes suitable for mat play at higher rounds
2. Kits with a t-shirt, shorts and a small kit bag for each player
3. Knee guards and elbow guards for safety on the mat
4. Prizes and awards for the tournament winners

Beyond sports gear, the fundraising will also cover school uniforms and other daily essentials the children go without.

If you have supported us before, thank you. If you are new here, this is your moment. Every contribution moves a child from making do to competing on a level field.

Donate. Share this post. Ask questions. Come visit the school.

नींव, one layer at a time.

Sahyog Sanstha

Mobile/WhatsApp: +917717366946