Fútbol por la vida
Fútbol por la Vida (“Football for Life”) is a non-governmental organization in Costa Rica that uses football to do social work and fight poverty. This organization was founded in 2004 in San José .
The aim is to give children and young people (girls and boys between the ages of 8 and 18) who live in the poorest areas of San José and come from socially disadvantaged families the chance to develop new perspectives for their lives. Costa Rica is considered a comparatively rich country in Central America, but there are still great social differences. The social environment of the children and young people is characterized by drug abuse, domestic violence, a lack of prospects, etc.
Professional football training primarily promotes social behavior such as fairness and a sense of community in order to strengthen the participants' self-awareness and responsibility beyond the sport. Football is used here as an aid, i.e. to establish contact with the children and young people. The organization runs a total of six football schools in rural and urban regions of Costa Rica , in which more than 600 children and young people, 35% of whom are girls, are looked after.
In addition to the training, the children and young people are offered workshops on topics such as AIDS, drugs, education and violence, as well as a variety of cultural activities. Youth social workers offer young people support with family problems, try to reintegrate them into school and arrange training courses.
Participation in the offers and activities of 'Fútbol por la vida' is free for all children and young people.
The most important donor is Bread for the World .