LFC makes India visit
Liverpool Football Club recently teamed up with the National Literacy Trust and the British Council for a project that saw the club's education manager make a cultural exchange visit to India.
Having worked with both of the organisations in the past as part of his remit as manager of the Reds' Reduc@te education centre, Keith White visited Delhi to witness the work local charity 'Pratham' undertake in the area.
Pratham aims to provide educational opportunities to children in the city who live in challenging circumstances.
Keith explains: "I don't think you realise how lucky you are until you see how thousands of children live without even the most basic of amenities and how they grasp the limited educational provision they have access to with an enthusiasm and passion which has to be seen to be believed."
The visit took Keith to many remote villages so far off the beaten track many people don't even know they existed.
"Villagers everywhere welcomed us with open arms, glasses of 'Lassi' - a delicious yoghurt drink - and huge smiles," said Keith. "The people we met don't have much in terms of possessions and money but they had big hearts and a pride which touched everyone on the trip."
Keith distributed LFC magazines, programmes, pens, player photos and team photographs to every school and village he visited and was left amazed at how these were received with great delight by children and adults alike.
The volunteer teachers in the schools will be using the LFC materials to help continue their work in providing the young people in their care with the educational opportunities they deserve.
Having returned to Liverpool, Keith will be working with local schools at Reduc@te on an active citizens literacy programme to inspire local children to learn from his visit to India under the theme of 'helping others achieve'.
Work on the project will begin immediately and Keith believes it is important for local Liverpool youngsters to realise the potential they have to help others less fortunate than themselves within their own community.
"Visiting India was an amazing experience for me and I will never forget the sights, sounds and smells of such a vibrant and colourful country," Keith concluded. "It is wonderful to think that there is now a little bit of LFC helping kids learn in some of the remotest parts of India."
Keith is delighted to work alongside the British Council and National Literacy Trust at Reduc@ate.
He added: "The British Council have generously funded cultural exchange visits in the past to Barcelona for Liverpool school children via Reduc@te and these have provided opportunities for them to appreciate different cultures and even meet and train with FC Barcelona players!
"Additionally the National Literacy Trust has proved to be an invaluable partner in helping children visiting Reduc@te to improve their reading and writing skills in fun and innovative ways."