Brazil struggles with endemic poverty, more than 20 millions Brazilians live in extreme poverty. The children are the ones that suffer the most. The principal intention of this project is to provide opportunities to the children and youngsters that otherwise have no recreational possibilities. The specific target group of Karanba are the children of the marginalized slums in Rio de Janeiro, the “favalas”. Today there are more than 600 favelas, where about one in five Rio residents lives. There are streets where shacks are crumbling and there is no place for the children to play. Violent drug gangs rule these areas, and make it almost impossible for outsiders to enter.

In terms of content, my philosophy for Karanba, is the use of football, as means of guidance, and to pass on values and attitudes which will to a higher degree than before enable the youngsters to face and overcome obstacles in their life in a constructive and future-building manner. These children have to deal with daily difficulties that we from the West hardly can imagine. I want to give these children hope and belief by doing something positive.

Karanba is an expression of the role sports can play in social progress. We represent the modern relationship between sports and progress in the local society. More important than scoring goals and winning games shall Karanba be an arena that intermediates good values and attitudes.