By Natalia Duarte Caceres | Communications and Resource Coordinator
This is the story about one of our project’s beneficiaries. His story shows how Tiempo de Juego has succeeded in changing the life from children and youth living in vulnerable communities…
Ten years ago, our beneficiary arrived to Cazucá fleeing from Colombia’s armed conflict. With his father murdered and his brother consuming and trafficking drugs, this kidended up being raised by the streets.One day he hears about some “crazy guys” who were opening up a Soccer School and he decides to give it a try. He attended to the weekly trainings and, somehow, soccer began to win the game against gangsterism.
Time went on and our beneficiary turned out to be an outstanding “sports leader” in a NGO that year after year was getting stronger. Nowadays,he works for TDJ and he pays his brother’s attendance to a Drug Rehabilitation Centre. Adidas, one of TDJ’s partners, pays his bachelor degree in Sports Education in one of Bogota’s private universities.
If you ask him what does he want to be when he grows up, he will answer shyly - but firmly: “I want to be a Professional Soccer Coach”. Bad memories have probably not been erased from his mind but, at least, now he has a new life to grasp on and new dreams to fight for. He is, in fact, a leader and an admired figure in Altos de Cazucá.
Nowadays, this young man works in Tiempo de Juego coordinating a hip hop and urban culture project he created by himself. He has also obtained support from Streetfootball World through the Future Goals 2015 program in order for him to execute his project in the year of 2015. This project is focused in promoting leadership in the 46 children and youth that now participate in one of the four activities that are being offered: Emcee (MC), Break Dance, Graffiti and DeeJay (DJ).
This example shows us that our work in Cazucá is having a real impact and that impoverished communities can be transformed if we empower children and youth as real agents of change.
We invite you all to support this young man's dream of promoting his peers to fight for constructing their own life project!!
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