The International Alliance for Youth Sports (IAYS) – in its ongoing efforts to impact the lives of underprivileged children around the world through sports – recently shipped thousands of dollars worth of sports equipment and apparel to the TNT orphanage in Aizawl, Mizoram.
The donation represents one of many steps the IAYS will be taking in the months ahead as part of its commitment to help ensure that children in Mizoram, and other states throughout India, have opportunities to participate in healthy physical activities, as well as the equipment needed to play them.
The shipment to the TNT orphanage contains soccer balls, volleyballs, baseball and softball bats and assorted playground balls. There are also track jackets and pants, shorts, jerseys, baseball caps, shin guards, equipment bags and ball pumps.
“Millions of children around the world are denied the opportunity to reap all the wonderful benefits that sports participation provides and these are the individuals that we must reach out to,” said Fred Engh, president of IAYS. “We know this donation is much-needed and will be put to good use. I also know that we are truly just beginning in Mizoram and that, with the support of its government, we will accomplish so many great things as we go about changing the lives of children here through the wonderful vehicle of sports.”
Engh was in Mizoram in mid February for the historic signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the IAYS and the State of Mizoram. More than 20,000 people, including the State’s top dignitaries, were on hand at AR Ground in Aizawl for the official launching of the IAYS’ Game On! Youth Sports program. Game On! Youth Sports is the signature program of IAYS that has already been implemented across Africa, the Caribbean and Mexico.
In the coming years Game On! Youth Sports will be held in more than 1,000 primary schools in Mizoram.
One of the most attractive features of Game On! Youth Sports is that it does much more than simply provide children with much-needed opportunities to play sports and enjoy physical activity. It also promotes adopting a healthy lifestyle and steers them away from the negative behaviors of crime, violence and drug abuse.
In 2007 the IAYS established an International Office in Guwahati, Assam that is headed by Chiranjeeb Das, the Asia/Asia Pacific Regional Representative for the IAYS. He has worked closely with government officials to establish Game On! Youth Sports in Mizoram and has been working with State Governments to further the program in other areas. | 
