The Football for Peace Global ambassador lauds the Kerala Government and the Faizal and Shabana Foundation for the School’s state-of-the-art football facility
Nadakkavu, Kozhikode – 25 January 2016: Ronaldinho, the Brazilian football legend, today visited the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls at Nadakkavu, in Kozhikode, Kerala, on the sidelines of his trip to the state as part of his ambassadorship of the Football for Peace Global (FfPG) initiative. Accompanied by Kashif Siddiqi, international footballer and co-founder of FfPG, Ronaldinho was welcomed by Kerala MLA Shri A. Pradeep Kumar and Mr. Joseph Sebastian, Head of the Faizal & Shabana Foundation, and faculty and students of the GVHSS School.
During Ronaldinho’s visit to the school, he had the opportunity to watch students participate in a football match and present them with FfPG medals. Commenting on the GVHSS Nadakkavu School, Ronaldinho said, “I have really enjoyed my visit to the GVHSS Nadakkavu School today and I am extremely impressed by the facilities the school has to offer. It has been great having the opportunity to engage and play football with the students. I believe football has the power to inspire and unite, which is the mission I share with Football for Peace Global. I would like to wish these young, talented girls all the best and encourage them to use football as an outlet for fun and expression.”
“In addition, I congratulate the Kerala Government and the Faizal & Shabana Foundation for giving these young talents access to this state-of-the-art football facility, which will help them better hone their skills. This is an exemplary school not just for this country, but for the world.”
MLA Shri A Pradeep Kumar said, “The GVHSS school and its students are a real source of pride for the Government of Kerala. We are very grateful to the Faizal & Shabana Foundation for their dedication to the school and the community, and we believe that it is an excellent model for government schools across the state. This is a milestone moment for Kerala and the GVHSS Nadakkavu to host Ronaldinho and Mr. Kashif Siddiqi.”
The GVHSS School is a 120-year old all-girls government school in the Kozhikode municipal corporation in Kerala, which now ranks among the top four government day schools across the country, according to the Education World India School Rankings. In 2013, the Faizal & Shabana Foundation joined hands with local MLA Shri A. Pradeep Kumar as part of the Foundation’s ‘Mission 100 program’ to plan, fund and execute a project that transformed GVHSS. ‘Mission 100’ is a part of the PRISM (Promoting Regional Schools to International Standards through Multiple Interventations) program which was conceptualized by MLA Shri A. Pradeep Kumar in 2008. The transformation in GVHSS’ built environment, using offsite construction technology, alongside improvements in the teaching methods and enhanced capacity, resulted in a 300% increase in the total number of students achieving an A+ grade in the Higher Secondary Syllabus examinations.
The school has additionally been overhauled with facilities such as a football cum hockey ground, an indoor multipurpose sports stadium, as well as a library containing over 24000 books and multimedia classrooms.
Speaking about the work of the Faizal & Shabana Foundation, Mr. Joseph Sebastian said, “The Faizal & Shabana Foundation is committed to improving government education in India in a holistic fashion. The Foundation has a strong belief that education has the power to lift those who are most vulnerable in our society. To that end, Mission 100 looks to bring quality education to children across Kerala by providing world-class facilities and teaching. I want to thank Ronaldinho and Mr. Siddiqi for visiting us today and giving us the opportunity to show them how far the school has come.”
About the Faizal & Shabana Foundation:
Founded in December 2007, The Faizal & Shabana Foundation was established with the aim to create sustainable initiatives that focuses on education, healthcare, sustainable living, housing, youth development and humanitarian aid. Since the launch of the foundation, they have impacted thousands of lives in India and the Middle East.
Fueled by the vision of ‘Giving to Create Impact’ the Faizal & Shabana Foundation works to create model solutions for social problems at the grassroots. The mission of the Foundation is rooted in a set of values that span social justice, service, inclusiveness, relationship, integrity, competence and collaboration. Over the past 10 years, since its establishment in 2007, the Foundation has embodied itself in over 25 programs and projects which has impacted thousands of lives in India and the Middle East through 20 million USD having presence in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and UAE. The Faizal & Shabana Foundation is part of KEF Holdings, the parent company for KEF Infra. Website: https://www.faizalshabana.org
For More Information Contact: KEF Holdings – Melissa Pinto – melissa.pinto@kefholdings.com
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