AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongSocietyMore than a game: rugby helps Hong Kong charity tackle cultural divides in schools
Rugby For Good, an Operation Santa Claus beneficiary, uses sport to help students of all backgrounds find common ground on and off the field
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Passing, tackling and scrums – all part of the sport of rugby.
But in some Hong Kong schools, they take on a deeper meaning – helping to bridge divides between students of different backgrounds.
Since 2013, the charity Rugby For Good has been introducing the game to school campuses, using sport as a tool to bring together young people from diverse ethnicities and communities.
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This year, the NGO is one of 13 charities selected by the annual fundraising campaign Operation Santa Claus (OSC) to receive funding. The support will go towards training 500 students aged 12 to 15 next year – including those like past participants Aaminah Nosheen Ahmed, 18, and Areebah Nosheen Ahmed, 15.
The sisters know all too well what it feels like to be singled out for being different. Born and raised in Hong Kong to Pakistani parents, they often faced taunts because of their heritage.
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“We get called names all the time. I’ve gotten used to it,” said Areebah, who is in Form Four.
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