{"id":2696,"date":"2026-10-22T09:11:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T09:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hersport.rs\/?p=2696"},"modified":"2026-10-22T09:13:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T09:13:29","slug":"the-her-sport-project-fuel-costs-are-an-investment-not-an-expense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hersport.rs\/?p=2696","title":{"rendered":"The HER SPORT Project: Fuel Costs Are an Investment, Not an Expense"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Girls aged 13\u201317 living in villages (in the areas surrounding Ni\u0161, Aleksinac, Lazarevac, and Vr\u010din) that lack public transportation\u2014and for whom the “HER SPORT” project covered their parents’ fuel costs\u2014stated that their primary motivation for training is a deep love for sport. They noted that training is crucial to their happiness and that sport provides them with the encouragement to believe they can achieve anything they desire in life.

1. WHY DO THEY PARTICIPATE IN SPORT? (Primary Motivation)
When asked what initially drew them to sport and kept them involved, the 211 girls surveyed provided the following reasons:
\u2022 48% \u2013 A love for the game, competition, and a sense of achievement.
\u2022 32% \u2013 A sense of belonging to a team and social connection (sport serves as a “second family”).
\u2022 15% \u2013 An escape from the boredom and isolation often found in rural environments.
\u2022 5% \u2013 Health-related reasons or recommendations from doctors or schools.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN (with fuel support), given that they previously thought their sporting careers were over?
This was the most emotional part of the survey. Before the project\u2019s intervention, 78% of the girls had seriously considered quitting sport\u2014solely because they had no way to get to training sessions.
\u2022 94% responded that this support was “Crucial” or “Very important” for the continuation of their sporting careers. \u2022 85% stated that they felt “immense relief, happiness, and gratitude” because they no longer have to choose between their education, household responsibilities, and sports.
\u2022 A key quote from the survey: “I thought I would have to quit because my dad couldn’t afford to spend money on gas every single day, and there are no buses. When the project solved this for us, my zest for life returned\u2014not just my passion for sports.” (Marija, 16 years old)

WHY IS SPORT IMPORTANT TO THEM? (Perception of personal benefits)
The girls identified deeper psychological and social benefits, beyond just the physical ones:
\u2022 42% \u2013 Sport builds their self-confidence and the belief that they can achieve anything in life.
\u2022 33% \u2013 Sport serves as a coping mechanism for managing stress (from school, puberty, or family pressures).
\u2022 25% \u2013 Sport provides them with a goal, discipline, and a structured daily routine filled with activities that bring them joy and happiness; this keeps them away from harmful habits (none of the girls smoke cigarettes, and only 2% have tried alcohol).

HOW IMPORTANT IS SPORT IN THEIR LIVES? (Rating of importance
on a scale of 1 to 10 (where 10 is “absolutely essential”):
\u2022 Average rating: 9.3 \/ 10
\u2022 88% of the girls believe that the skills learned through sports (perseverance, teamwork, respect) are more important for their future careers and lives than the actual sports results.
\u2022 91% stated that they plan to continue participating in sports or remain active within the sports community into adulthood\u2014specifically because, during their critical teenage years, they received the support they needed to keep going.

These statistics reveal a simple yet powerful truth: about twenty liters of gasoline can save a sports career\u2014and, in doing so, help shape the character of a future woman.
When there is no bus, logistics become the enemy of talent.
Through the ‘HER SPORT’ project, we did more than just pay for fuel; we relieved the children of guilt, eased the financial burden on their parents, and sent a clear message to these girls: “Your dream is worth every kilometer.”
Investing in transportation for talented young female athletes\u2014from their villages to their training locations in the city\u2014is not an expense. It is a highly valuable investment in the mental health, equality, and future of our children<\/p>\n\n\n

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