COCHABAMBA – Inter Campus were in Bolivia to attend the official opening of a brand-new all-weather football pitch at the Fundación Casari, made possible by funds donated by Lega Serie A.
As ever, our arrival in Cochabamba was accompanied by beaming smiles and children's voices – who by now know us all by name – as well as warm embraces from Massimo and Veronica, founders of the Fundación Casari that has been partners of Inter Campus Bolivia since 2008.
This foundation works every day to offer educational, psychological and emotional support – in conjunction with Inter Campus's sporting and educational programme – in areas of Cochabamba where poverty hovers around 38% and the already worrying level violence is on the rise. These statistics come from representatives of the United Nations Development Programme, who have come to the territory to launch joint projects with existing structures.
Today 220 girls and boys are involved in Inter Campus Bolivia, 150 of whom live in Ticti Norte: an impoverished area of the city where houses are often dangerous to live in, lacking basic facilities and populated by crowds of families. The remaining 70 youngsters are prisoners' children and are therefore forced to experience the dangerous environment of Bolivian jails. Thank to the loving care of Sister Maria Angeles and the generosity of Veronica and Massimo, these kids get to come to the Fundación Casari every Saturday to take part in Inter Campus's activities.
Inter Campus's visit to Bolivia was jam-packed full of activity, including training local coaching staff and putting on loads of games for the kids. It was all capped off with the opening ceremony for the new football pitch that has been built within the walls of the foundation.
This beautiful pitch represents a safe haven for kids where they can be truly happy. This is where psychologists, educators, teachers and coaches will work hard to ensure the kids can have fun and be educated, protected, loved and understood. These qualities are crucial in laying the foundations for a healthy development and a better future.
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