Let’s Connect Saathi was a youth-led initiative in India that used Unified Sports and inclusive school activities to foster meaningful friendships between students with and without intellectual disabilities. The project engaged four schools and created a supportive platform to model inclusive practices.
Sagar and Shashwat were inspired by their mentors at Special Olympics Bharat and the energy of their school communities. They aimed to raise awareness and break barriers by showing how simple, shared experiences—like sports—can shift attitudes and build empathy.
The team implemented Unified Sports programming at four partner schools, hosted awareness events like Teacher’s Day and Junior Youth Leader sessions, and promoted family involvement through a Parent Interface. Activities such as football matches and inclusive assemblies allowed students to bond in new ways.
The project introduced 190 new youth leaders, engaged 40 athletes with ID and 50 peers without ID, and formed 4 new Unified Sports Clubs. It reached over 3,000 social media users and successfully expanded inclusive programming across four schools.
The leaders are proudest of the genuine friendships that emerged and the lasting commitment to inclusion from partner schools. Moving forward, they plan to organize an inter-school Unified Sports tournament and support youth leaders to become certified inclusive coaches.