A once in a lifetime experience! The Bloemendaal Women Hockey Team had a very special team trip: together to India. It was a fully packed program in which they felt the diversity of India, made new hockey friends and got closer as a team. The team inspired women and girls, and was equally inspired by the women and girls they met.
Jharkhand
Bloemendaal visited Ranchi and Khunti, in Jharkhand, as the first foreign ladies’ team ever! Although they already got a bit of an impression of India as they kicked off their trip in Delhi, the ladies were absolutely amazed by the heartwarming welcome they got. They visited six tribal communities to get a glimpse of the life in the villages where our hockey sessions take place. From a traditional welcome ceremony to visiting the local school, church and even their homes, it was truly a fantastic experience the ladies will never forget. And this was only the start!
Bloemendaal joined the grassroots trainings with the kids from the tribal communities, gave training to our RDC kids, played a match against our coaches, participated in hockey festival and to top it off they played a match against Hockey Jharkhand Eleven (Women’s) in a great stadium fully packed with happy kids who were cheering for both teams! A big shout out to CInI – Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives, Tata Trusts team for organizing these special and amazing days with Bloemendaal.
Pune, Maharashtra
India is a country rich with contrasts, and the Bloemendaal women experienced this as they went from rural districts of Jharkhand to Pune – a dynamic metropolitan region filled with educational institutions, manufacturing sites and international companies. The team’s visit to WorldEmp | Worldclass remote talent was a highlight, their passion for providing global opportunities was clear. Dutch members shared their experiences of working and living in India, while their Indian colleagues discussed their unique perspectives on working remotely with Dutch companies.
The next days hockey was back on the agenda. A clinic for 80 girls, from our grassroots program in collaboration ARaymond and Nirman brought a lot of fun and new drills. The two matches against Team Maharashtra were exciting, with plenty of goals and valuable opportunities to meet hockey peers from the region.
Empowerment
We said goodbye to the Bloemendaal team as they traveled to Mumbai for the last days of their trip. Reflecting on all these days filled with new connections, cultural experiences, and, of course, a lot of fun! This journey highlighted the importance of empowering women through sport, creating connections that inspire change and progress. Let’s keep playing hockey, inspire and show that hockey is more than just a game!
