In the year 1998 a club named Sahara was born in Pokhara, a tourist city in Western Nepal. This beautiful city is perched on the banks of the famous Phewa Taal (a natural lake) and is surrounded by the majestic Annapurna Mountain Range. A must visit destination for all the tourists to the Himalayan Country of Nepal.
Sahara Club was formed as a social organization but football is also an integral part of the Club’s Set up. It regularly participates in the different Knock-out tournaments of Nepal along with the one hosted by the Club themselves, Aaha Gold Cup. A very successful Knock-out tournament. The ninth edition was held this year in January.
The Club is very well managed with the active participation of all its members and are sound financially as they regularly receive donations from Nepalis living in United Kingdom along with foreigners and the sponsors. It might be mentioned here that the Club also has a branch in the United Kingdom which is called Sahara Club UK. They have assisted many Nepali footballers to get trails in the different Clubs of UK. Example can be given of Anil Gurung who is currently playing for Indian outfit Shillong Lajong FC. In 2009 Sahara Club UK members had helped Gurung to get trails with Chelsea Reserve team along with few other lower division Clubs.
One unique feature of the Sahara Club, Pokhara is the Football Academy for street Children and orphans. These children are selected from the different districts of Nepal and imparted football training with free education and shelter. Now the Academy has more than fifty boys in different age groups. The funding for this Academy comes from the profit collected from the Aaha Gold Cup which is hosted Annually by the Sahara Club. A new Academy building is also being constructed which should be ready in a few months time.
As mentioned earlier Sahara Club is also dedicated towards the society. It holds regular blood donation camps, cleanliness drives in the city of Pokhara and also gives financial assistance to the poor and needy. We can say it’s more than just a football Club.
Clubs like Sahara are an example how football can be used as a social tool. Bringing about positive changes in the society as well as promoting the beautiful game. The Club has really set a bench mark for others to emulate in just over a decade of its formation. The successful hosting of Aaha Gold Cup every year points to the fact how serious the people concerned with the club are. It might not be an overstatement to say that Sahara Club, Pokhara is one of the best managed club in Nepal today.
The club’s aim is to keep serving the city of Pokhara and in that process promote the game of football. Anil Gurung who started his career with Sahara Club is now a star of Nepali football. This has given the boys at Sahara Club and Academy a new hope and most of them would follow his footsteps and go on to play for Nepal, which will a wonderful news for the people involved with the Sahara Club.
Photograph Courtesy- Sudharshan Ranjit (Sahara Club,Pokhara)
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