Our association supports children & young people
During a trip to Brazil, we discovered and fell in love with the work of Promundo in the community of Guararapes. That’s where we made the decision to found our own association and support their work on the ground.
A look back: how it all began...
A quote that explains the "Do sport, win in life" campaign: "If we want to reach the children here, it only works through sport. If we then manage to gain the children's trust, then we can really reach them".
We were able to experience this live.
The "Promundo" organization does a great job, very organized, very professional, very sensitive, very caring.
At the foot of the Corcovado in the Communidade Guararapes, they are the point of contact for the children's wishes and concerns. A sympathetic ear, tutoring, problems with the police or home, nutrition, hygiene, health and their rights ... the people at Promundo support, engage and educate. They also work and talk with the parents to ensure that family life - the basis - remains intact. In addition, Promundo works with the new generation to keep the streams and alleyways clean - they "clean up"...
We were there.
We spoke to the children while they were at school. We looked up where Germany is located in the only outdated atlas, asked and answered questions and laughed a lot.
The walk through the narrow streets of the favela was a journey through everyday life. We were welcomed everywhere and were able to experience how warm, personal and familiar everyone was with each other.
On the football pitch, it was more than just a game of football. The children play together (!), boys and girls, barefoot on the scorching hot concrete floor. Here they learn through play what team spirit, consideration, fairness and respectful interaction mean and how it can change their lives. The footballs and goalkeeper gloves they bring with them make for smiling eyes and are also distributed fairly among the different groups.
Sven Ditz, or "o alemão" as they call him, is put in goal for the next game and we watch with the other children how the "gringo in the team" is doing. And so in the end we are right in the middle of this other world and feel like we belong to it.
That's what we promise the children when we say goodbye. Our vision after the visit: We tell customers, acquaintances and friends about this experience, we collect donations and we come back - with:
- Sports shoes for the children in the project - not only to give joy, but also to enable them to play safely
- School books and learning materials - the children should have more than just an atlas (!) to learn for life
- Money for the renovation of the building - to make it dry, safe, clean and inviting and thus reach even more children...
We have found "our project".
The reactions to our project were very positive, so we founded the association "Algeria, ahoi!" e.V. to be able to continue working on this REAL project in the future.
Thank you for all your help. Obrigado!
Sven Ditz, managing director of the digital agency sitegeist, founder and chairperson of the association Alegria, ahoi!, personally commits to travel to Rio at least once a year – at his own expense – to coordinate the aid and personally deliver donations.
This way, we can promise our donors that every single cent reaches the place where it’s needed most:
Directly to the children of Guararapes, in Rio de Janeiro.
If you have any questions about the association or would like to donate, we look forward to hearing from you:
Alegria, ahoi! e.V.
c/o sitegeist media solutions GmbH
Poßmoorweg 2
22301 Hamburg
Germany
Tel: +49 (0)40 - 32 81 93 - 0
