When Bandana joined the PaBi School Ground in Rajbiraj, she was one of only four girls playing cricket there. Over the following two years she took opportunities to support data collection and coaching, began leading inclusive sessions at PaBi and Narendra Ma Vi, and continued developing as a player. She went on to be named Bowler of the Tournament at the Madhesh Province PM Cup and was selected to represent her province - travelling to the far west of Nepal and appearing on live television.

Bandana’s story is personal, but it sits within a wider change around the hub. Regular coaching, school sessions, girls’ competitions, gender-sensitisation work and partnership with Sabal Nepal and the Saptari Cricket Association have created a more supportive environment for girls to play. Locally-led qualitative evaluation linked the hub with stronger community support, increased confidence and leadership, and greater freedom and opportunity for girls.

The Playing With Confidence pilot in Jinja and Mukono brought together 75 girls for cricket, menstrual health education, practical support and discussion. Participants surfaced restrictive beliefs from their own communities and proposed ways to challenge them through peer education, community engagement and creative communication. Fifteen coaches were also trained to support players around menstruation.

Two months later, 48 girls took part in peer-led feedback groups. They described greater comfort discussing menstruation, confidence to remain active during their periods, enjoyment and growing confidence in cricket, and a desire to share what they had learned. The feedback also identified practical improvements, including the importance of choice and correct sizing in menstrual products. This is early evidence from a pilot, but it is informing the next stage of a longer, girl-led programme.

In the Cricket Unites India pilot, 70 coaches took part in coach education designed around practical, player-centred delivery. Of the 23 who completed the post-training survey, every respondent agreed or strongly agreed that they felt more confident coaching children who were new to cricket and creating a safe and inclusive environment. Most also felt better able to adapt games for different groups and facilitate life-skills discussions.

The surveys show what our coach education participants valued most: practical session plans, trying activities on the pitch, effective communication with children, and learning to let players think and discover rather than over-coaching.

Cricket + WASH was co-developed with Welthungerhilfe and Sabal Nepal to make essential learning about water, sanitation, handwashing, menstrual health and rights active and memorable. Ninety students in three schools in Karjanha Municipality completed six sessions over 42 days. Pre- and post-programme surveys recorded substantial improvements across several knowledge measures: for example, understanding that soap and water should be used for handwashing rose from 67% to 100%, while recognition that cooked food should be covered rose from 63% to 98%.

The programme was refined with coaches, teachers, youth leaders and students, connecting technical WASH expertise with games that work in local cricket environments, ready to be delivered at scale with our partners. Players did not only learn health messages; they practised speaking up, working together and becoming role models in their schools and communities.

In Brazil, 22 young people and coaches – Cricket Changemakers – from urban and rural hubs used play-based workshops and community mapping to identify challenges affecting young people, including drugs and violence, abuse and neglect, bullying, racism, and transport and financial barriers. Their shared goal was to make cricket a ‘safe haven’: a place where young people feel safe, supported and able to grow away from gang culture.

The group planned action through regular “Cricket for Life” sessions, family picnics, community and school festivals, and youth-led social media. Their ideas are now being strengthened with relevant expert input. This combination matters: the priorities and solutions are locally generated, while the programme also draws on evidence and specialist knowledge to make delivery safer and more effective.