Mumbai: A new sports-for-social-impact initiative, KHELEGI, has officially launched with a mission to keep adolescent girls in sport during a critical stage when 49% of them drop out—six times higher than boys, according to UNESCO.
Backed by the IOC Young Leaders Programme through Olympism365 of the International Olympic Committee, KHELEGI aims to address the systemic barriers that prevent girls from continuing in sport. These include menstrual stigma, unsafe play spaces, gendered social norms, inadequate facilities, economic pressures, lack of awareness, and limited role models.
“KHELEGI is a promise, a vision, and a declaration: every young person has the right to stay in the game, access opportunity, and thrive through sport,” said Laher Gala, Founder of KHELEGI. “Keeping girls in sport empowers them to grow with confidence, resilience, and opportunity, while also nurturing a stronger, more inclusive ecosystem for women in sports. It creates leaders, role models, and a new generation of athletes who can break barriers and redefine possibility.”
Pilot Launch in Dharavi
The initiative will begin with a pilot programme in Dharavi, Mumbai, working in collaboration with local schools, communities, and sports organisations to create safe, inclusive, and joyful play spaces for girls. Insights from the pilot will shape future expansion strategies, ensuring interventions remain community-driven, scalable, and sustainable.
A Movement Built for Impact
KHELEGI’s model combines research, community engagement, and expert-backed curriculum design. Its process includes:
- Capacity building and ecosystem engagement
- Iterative feedback and measurement
- Collaborative implementation and advocacy
This holistic approach seeks to strengthen local leadership, amplify community voices, and create long-term systemic change in how adolescent girls experience sport.
Tackling the Dropout Crisis
Globally, 85% of adolescent girls are insufficiently active, and only 7% of schools provide equal PE time to boys and girls. The dropout crisis not only impacts the health and confidence of girls but also costs communities potential leaders, innovators, and economic growth. KHELEGI’s purpose is to ensure girls play through puberty and menstruation with dignity, safety, and joy.
Purpose, Vision, Mission
- Purpose: Enable girls to play sports through puberty and menstruation with dignity, safety, and joy.
- Vision: A world transformed by equity in sports.
- Mission: To create equitable access and opportunities in sport through education, awareness, and advocacy, supported by ecosystem-driven interventions that scale, sustain, and transform communities.
Join the Movement
KHELEGI invites schools, organisations, communities, and allies to join in rewriting the game—ensuring that no girl is left out of sport.
