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ORGANISERS of a fund-raising cricket tournament hope the sport will help unite the kingdom's different communities and help raise funds for one of Bahrain's oldest centres for special needs children.
The Indian Ladies Association (ILA), which runs the Sneha Recreation Centre, a free facility for children of all nationalities, has launched 'A Sixer for Sneha', an invitation-only cricket tournament in which 20 teams of seven-a-side will compete.
The preliminary matches will be played at the Riffa cricket ground on November 6 and the final at Awali on November 13. Competitors will be playing for a winner's trophy, a runner's up plate and a special 'ladies' match trophy.
ILA president Shiney Koshy said that the tournament is being planned as a family fun day and entrance to the event will be free for supporters. Shiney said: "There will also be plenty of activities on the side of the pitch where families can enjoy the mela (fair) with food stalls, face painting, henna, hair-braiding and games.
"While the centrepiece of the whole fundraiser will be the game itself, we will also be flying in celebrity cricketers from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to add to the glamour of the event."
Fans will get an opportunity to meet the celebrities at a fund-raising gala dinner.
Rajesh Machado, head cricket coach at the Bahrain Rugby Football Club, and Rammohan Kutty, a former cricketer and GSA manager at YBA Kanoo, will help organise the technical aspects of the tournament.
The entry fee to play in the competition is BD100.
All profits from the event will go towards the Sneha Recreation Centre which currently has 20 children - 11 Indians, four Pakistanis, four Bahrainis and one Filipino - of various disabilities on its rolls.
Their education, transport, uniforms, art and study material and monthly outing is provided free of cost and is run with the help of 25 volunteers and two teachers.
Sneha helps these children gain proficiency in functional literacy, numerical skills, music, arts and crafts, basic life skills including ironing, cooking and sewing alongside other essential social skills.
ILA vice-president, Rekha Uttam, added that every fil raised is welcome towards the running of the centre, especially during these times of recession.
To contribute to the centre, both in cash or in kind, contact Shiney Koshy on 36715550, Rekha Uttam on 39558240 or Bhaktee Salian on 36870931.
