“I want to show that girls can achieve big things”

Narail, Bangladesh — As the late-afternoon sun glints through tree branches, 15-year-old Rani Biswas swings her arm sharply and sends the volleyball across the net. Her teammates clap and quickly shift to position themselves for the next serve.

Just two years ago, Rani never imagined herself on a volleyball court, let alone wearing a jersey and playing at the sub-district level in front of a crowd. Raised by her mother after her father left when she was in grade 3, Rani grew up shy and introverted. Her mother, Suchitra (50), worked long hours as an agricultural labourer but always made sure Rani went to school.

Then one afternoon, there was a knock on the door. Shiuly Morsheda (50), a community mobilizer, had come to invite girls in the neighbourhood to join sports training as part of the Sports for Development (S4D) programme. Seeing this as an opportunity for her daughter to grow in confidence, Suchitra encouraged Rani to join the training. Among the five options (football, kabaddi, volleyball, cricket, and self-defense) offered in Narail, Rani chose volleyball.

Today, Rani competes at the sub-district level. “She has grown from a quiet, introverted girl into a confident and brave volleyball player who is determined to play at the national level one day,” says Shiuly.

We recently sat down with Rani, her mother Suchitra, and community mobilizer Shiuly to hear how sports, dedication, and a mother’s unconditional support are shaping Rani’s journey towards a brighter future.

Q: Rani, tell us how you started playing volleyball.

Rani: I started after Shiuly apu came to our home. She explained to my mother how sports can help girls like me. Not just in playing but also in gaining confidence, teamwork, and discipline. My mother was happy to let me join. Of all the games, I wanted to learn volleyball. At first, I was shy, but now the stadium feels like my second home.

Q: Apart from sports, what else have you learned from the S4D programme?

Rani: We have learned a lot of things. Shiuly apa teaches us about the harms of child marriage and gender-based violence, the importance of education, and about good touch and bad touch. We attended 16 sessions like this in two months. Before, I used to stay quiet but now I speak up when I see someone teasing girls on the street.

Q: We heard that you are playing at sub-district level now. Congratulations! How did that happen?

Rani: Thank you! Our coach supported me. I also go to practice regularly. My school also encourages and supports me to attend volleyball training after school. I never thought I would be representing my sub-district Narail Sadar, but here I am.

Q: Who inspires you as a player?

Rani: I really like Ritu Porna Chakma from the Bangladesh National Women’s Football team. I also like Lionel Messi. Both of them inspire me to dream.

Q: What is your dream for the future?

Rani: I want to wear Bangladesh’s national jersey to represent the national women’s volleyball team one day. I want to show that girls can achieve big things.

Q: Suchitra, as Rani’s mother, what was it like watching her take this path?

Suchitra: Initially, I was worried about how society would react. But I know this is the right path for my daughter. I got married off early and never went to school. I don’t want that life for Rani. I want her to have the opportunities I never had. Every time she comes home smiling and says, “Ammu, I played well today,” I feel very proud. When she is happy, I am happy too.

Q: What is your dream for Rani?

Suchitra: That she continues to study and play. She says she wants to stand on her own feet. I will always support her. If she gets a good job one day, it would be wonderful.

Q: Shiuly, you are the community mobilizer here. How challenging is your job?

Shiuly: Usually, parents are supportive. But many families still think sports are only for boys. I go door-to-door, talk to parents, and explain how the programme will help their children grow confident and self-reliant, and contribute positively to society.

Sometimes mothers secretly send their daughters for practice. When the fathers find out, they stop them. That’s when I step in, hold sessions with the fathers, and help them understand how the programme supports girls’ education and their mental health. I also inform them that the girls get certificates of participation, which will help them when pursuing higher studies. Eventually they realise how it benefits their children and agree with the idea. When they see their girls performing well, parents usually change their minds.

Q: What else does the programme cover beyond sports?

Shiuly: The boys and girls enrolled under the programme attend monthly group discussions on harmful social norms like child marriage, child abuse, child labour, and domestic violence. We also hold sessions on good parenting with their parents. In one of the sessions, a mother admitted that she often beat her daughter. That day, I asked her to promise to stop. Two months later, her daughter told me her mother had kept that promise.

Q: Do you have any message for UNICEF?

Shiuly: I am thankful to UNICEF for letting me be a part of this initiative. For supporting me to create this safe space for girls. When the girls come to me and say “apu, ami tumake bhalo basi,” (sister, we love you) it means the world to me. It makes me feel like I am actually doing something good for these marginalised children, especially the adolescent girls!

The Sports for Development programme, launched by UNICEF with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in 2022, is slowly but surely bringing about social change. It is helping girls and boys challenge harmful social norms that hold them back. They can also choose to receive training in some of these categories: football, volleyball, kabaddi, SwimSafe, badminton, self-defense, cricket, skateboarding, surfing, and local games. By December 2024, S4D had already reached over 13 million people, including children, adolescents, parents, and community members, across 38 locations (26 districts and 12 city corporations) in Bangladesh. Thanks to generous support from King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre, Saudi Arabia, dreams are becoming reality in communities where they were once unimaginable.