#FirstStoryPositive: Meet ‘Soccer Sangeetha’- A Homeless Girl Living on Streets, Now Playing For India Abroad
Sangeetha Sekar, a soccer player, participated in the Homeless World Cup in Scotland (2016), which required her to replace her old and worn-out garments with a fresh new gleaming blue jersey. Swanky sneakers replaced her damaged slippers, and she didn't have to select between drinking milk and eating eggs for the first time in a long time.
Sangeetha had already become accustomed to a horrific existence and learned how to deal with the risks of living on the streets, including violence, infections, and hunger, by the time she was 16 and picked to play in the World Cup. Despite this, she was frightened of leaving her mother behind and travelling to another continent. Perhaps it was the fact that she would be confronted with a contrasting reality that would remind her of her destitute life.
Throughout the tournament, though, she did not show any signs of stress or dread on her face. As the Indian team's captain, she, on the other hand, put up an outstanding performance. Her quickness and endurance during the 90-minute matches were favourably praised throughout the tournament. No one would believe that Sangeetha grew up and lived on the streets of Chennai, given the ease with which she scored goals against her opponents.
She made her mark again two years later, in Russia, at the Street Child World Cup, a tournament that takes place every four years before the FIFA World Cup. Her performance drew global attention, and the media waited in line on Wall Tax Road in Georgetown, where she lived, to know more about her story.
Sangeetha, now 20, said that “playing in the park, going to school, or affording a four-square lunch were pleasures that didn't exist in my life. No one, including myself, believed I could do it when I finally got a chance to carve out my own identity and thrive at a sport. However, I succeeded.”
“ I recognized that this was what she wanted to do, and I backed her up when she began to win medals. Others quickly noticed how well she was doing as well. We're all very proud of her now,” Selvi said.
Sangeetha quickly established a caliber for the sport as a result of her dedication and hard work. She practiced before and after school, as well as at night under the streetlights. A month later, she competed in her first local event, the ‘Slum Soccer Games’, and wowed everyone. The girls' squad of Karunalaya then went on to win another game.
Her confidence and spirits were boosted when she won her first Best Player Award in her life. Her local fame grew as a result of her achievements, and she became known as ‘Soccer Sangeetha.'
She was chosen to play her first-ever international match with the support of her coach. Sangeetha was the only girl from Tamil Nadu to be chosen. Since then, there has been no turning back.
“I am grateful to the NGO since they enabled a girl like me to not only afford dreams but also realise her ambitions. Seeing my mother and sister struggle to feed us on a daily basis was heartbreaking, so I worked hard and chose to pursue football professionally,” Sangeetha adds.
Shikha Kumari, Mohit Arora, and Aishwarya Ashok turned Sangeetha's incredible journey into the award-winning seven-minute short film "Made in Madras" in 2019. The film was selected as the 2019 MY HERO People's Choice winner after screening at a number of festivals, including the Chicago Reels Fest.
Sangeetha's life hasn't changed much. Her mother is a daily wager , and she still lives on the streets. What has changed is her definite career path, which she has already begun. At Queen Mary's College, she is studying for a B.Sc. in Physical Education. She aspires to become an IAS officer so that she can utilize her position to help homeless children.
“I want to utilize football to make a difference in people's lives. It has altered my life; now it is time for me to pay the favor” Sangeetha concluded.