PITITINGA – The Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte occupies the most north-easterly tip of the country and – in addition to centres in the city of Recife – is home to Inter Campus projects in Pititinga and Maracajau, two fishing villages separated by a small stretch of Atlantic coastline.
Our enterprising local trainers Braz and Romualdo have transformed virtually every unused space into a football pitch. There’s a large grass pitch provided by the Vida a Pititinga Foundation and a cement pitch for futsal, but the sand dunes behind the village homes often becomes the setting for hotly contested matches and even the water’s edge itself has been known to host a match or two (when the surf permits).
Eighty children are directly involved in the project every year thanks to the hard work of Braz and Romualdo and everyone at the Foundation. In addition to this, when the new kit arrives every year, each child passes on their used shirts to other local children, bringing the initiative to a wider audience. It’s a simple yet effective way to engage the entire community and teach the youngsters the beauty of sharing.
Our visit concludes with a friendly tournament. The delegation from Maracajau arrives in Pititinga in a small red minibus, with the passengers having to show a fair dose of creativity to all fit in. By the end of the morning, young Joáo has nabbed himself the top-scorer award, Raphael is the best goalie and Nemias has won the contest for the scariest facial expression. Because Inter Campus is about having fun!
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