Dharwad Play for the Planet

adidas and Common Goal team up for an environmental project in India

Dharwad is facing increasingly heavy rainfalls, flooding, soil erosion, drought, water scarcity and extreme heatwaves, all of which are affecting the livelihoods of a community highly reliant on agriculture. Prolonged droughts have become common, causing crop failures and water scarcity, while extreme heatwaves have worsened health issues and agricultural losses, increasing community vulnerability. 

Due to the climate effects on the environment, there is limited maintenance of football grounds within schools, hampering students' access to and use of safe spaces.  

Enabling Leadership will work on a multidisciplinary and environmentally focused project in Dharwad, India, with the support of Move For The Planet. The project will develop a plan to mitigate the environmental problems by climate adapting the infrastructure of rural schools in the region.    

Climate-adapted infrastructure created in rural schools:   

The project focuses on restructuring rural schools in the region with ground levelling the areas to address flooding and soil erosion, implementing flood prevention and waste management strategies - including trash bins and recycling stations -, and planting trees to enhance the local ecosystem. This potentially ensures the infrastructures’ longevity and sustainability for communities, enhancing community climate resilience and fostering a sense of security and well-being among residents.   

Education on environmental sustainability through sports:   

For a long-lasting change and positive impact beyond the lifespan of the project, the project brings up the “Dharwad Play for the Planet” programme which promotes the provision of knowledge and tools for responsible waste management, flood prevention, and sustainable practices, reducing vulnerability to climate change. 

There will be 48 mixed-gender sessions annually where students engaged in the 'Enabling Leadership Play' program will learn about and participate in initiatives for sustainability, such as tree planting drives and community green champions. Awareness of climate change will be raised through orientations, community meetings, and stakeholder interactions.