Assis, São Paulo – Brazil

Project started: 2009

Geographic setting: Urban

Language: Portuguese

Children participating per week: 100+ (Ages 6-15 years)

Economy: Mix of agricultural and manufacturing

Challenges: Poverty, drug traffic, addiction, violence, high male incarceration

Approach: Through the vehicle of sport our coaches and volunteers use God’s Word to mentor these young people and develop in them Christian character traits that will serve them on the field and off.

Interesting tidbits: Open Arms provides soccer clubs to children from several slum neighborhoods in the city of Assis. These are funded by a combination of local church partnerships and international funding through Open Arms in the US. Our teams have routinely defeated the teams that represent the city and have played in major tournaments throughout southern Brazil.