Abhas is Kicking Goals

Despite having a challenging start in life, Abhas is matching his passion for football with talent.

Abhas is from one of the poorest districts in Nepal. His father passed away when he was a small child, and his mother was unable to look after him. She sent him to live in Kathmandu, hoping he would have an education and a better life. Unfortunately, his family lost contact with him and he was found living in very poor conditions.

He was taken in by our partner Sano Paila where, thanks to the generous support of the BTO community, all his needs were met, with a safe family-style home, nutritious food, healthcare and a good education. In this environment he has thrived, and begun to shine academically and socially.

Abhas was about 10 years old when he first developed an interest in football through playing at school. He then joined the local football club and got training from a professional coach. In his spare time, he would further explore the sport by surfing the web, and after reading Cristiano Ronaldo’s autobiography he became a die-hard fan.

Abhas is now 15 and is starting to see the results of his dedication to the sport. He was happy when he got to play in an Under 16s match in India and his team won. He played in a district-level football tournament, and although his team lost the semi-finals he was proud to win the ‘man of the match’ trophy. He recently tried out for the All-Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and wasn’t selected this time, but it has motivated him to practice even harder to achieve his goals.

It’s Abhas’ dream to be admitted into ANFA and become a professional football player like his idol Ronaldo. Whether through football or furthering his education, Abhas wants to return to his village as a success one day, so that he can look after his beloved grandmother.