Field of Dreams: The Football Journey That Led to Harvard

Seema Kumari, a daughter of a farmer from Jharkhand's Dahu village, has overcome all adversity to win a full scholarship at Harvard University. Seema belonged to a family of 19 with no exposure to good education, and her fate changed in 2012 when the NGO Yuwa introduced football as a tool for empowering girls.

 

With the support of Yuwa, Seema succeeded not only in football but also attained higher education. She took part in international exchange programs and learned English when she was 15 years old. Despite financial struggles and societal limitations, she submitted an application to Harvard while SAT was waived during the pandemic.

 

Now in her last year of study in economics, Seema is an energetic participant in student clubs and wishes to go back to her village to empower women by providing skill training. Her path is one of resilience and the magic of education.

 

Source: India Today, Economic Times, Indian Eagle