Highland youth get their kicks in

Their village, nestled in a remote highland pasture, lacks a standardized soccer field. Moved by the sight of children playing on uneven grasslands and dirt slopes and often getting injured, Sonam Jigme transformed his family's cattle pen into a makeshift pitch. With earthen walls, a muddy surface and wooden goalposts, this humble field became the only sport sanctuary for the village's children.

Sonam Jigme's love for soccer began at a young age, though he never received formal training. Instead, he learned the game by meticulously studying online videos, frame by frame. "I had to master the skills myself before I could teach the children," he says.