Case Study:All Aboard the Magic Bus

The Case is about a not-for-profit organization that works with children in some of the most marginalized and at-risk communities in India. It uses the medium of sport to enhance their basic life skills and provide empowerment so that they can take charge of their lives and transform their circumstances. The case highlights the challenges encountered by Magic Bus in terms of constant dropouts of girls from the graduation program in Mumbai's Dharavi project. This dropout is primarily seen in the elder age groups, viz., between 12 to 16 years. The case also looks at the various reasons for these dropouts, as narrated by the parents of the children as well as the community workers of the organization. The case draw attention to the various socio-cultural stereotypes related to the female gender, the scope of learning and development of children through sports and social interaction and developing a positive attitude of community towards girls' education through participation in sports.