SAO MIGUEL PAULISTA – Inter Campus's activity in the outskirts of Sao Paulo gets more and more embedded in the local communities with every visit.
There are more than two hundred kids at the three centres of Agua Vermelha, Santo Antonio and Nossa Senhora de Fatima, who by now know us all by name, and the local coaches are as enthusiastic as ever when greeting us.
There's a strong emphasis on school and education here, in fact it's a prerequisite for every child in the programme. We chatted about it with the local trainers, who showed us the children's report cards, and also Father Vincenzo – an important local figure who tirelessly helps the community.
Father Vincenzo explained to us how during a match one Sunday, he approached 9-year-old Bruno, who was said to be the best player on the team. His team-mates were losing, but Bruno was stuck on the sidelines.
"Have you hurt yourself? Why aren't you playing?" the priest asked. The youngster replied: "I got bad marks at school and I'm not allowed to play. I can train during the week, but I have to miss this match."
From then on, Bruno's performance in the classroom improved considerably, not only thanks to the effort he put in but also due to his friends' encouragement. They were the first to urge him to do his homework because no one wanted to lose another game!
Next up we met Joel, known as Cristiano to his friends because of his huge passion for Ronaldo. He approached us timidly and asked the usual questions ("What's the time in Italy? Is it cold over there?") before rushing off to continue playing with his friends. Joel's dream is to visit Milan and learn Italian.
Before leaving, we exchanged a few words with the journalists who arrived to document the project and its evolution. The best interviews came from the kids themselves, primarily thanks to their spontaneity.
The overriding feeling is that the whole community is making the most out of itself. This is at the heart of Inter Campus's objective and we are delighted to do our bit.
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