Sport-for-Development

The community of São Remo celebrates the donation of a new safe space to play sports. Built by community volunteers and ESPN employees, the new court will be the home of sustainable programs teaching young people employability skills through sports, thanks to our Vencer program along with other local partners.

For quadriplegic individuals, quad rugby is an opportunity to play a sport in which wheelchairs are the norm. Three years ago Los Criollos was formed in Uruguay and this past month they brought an international quad rugby tournament to their country for the first time, with support from Fundación A Ganar.

While Latin America has made remarkable progress in making education accessible for all over the last decade, not many youth are actually graduating high school, and even fewer going on to receive advanced degrees. It is estimated that between now and 2040 nearly 40 percent of the Latin American workforce will lack a high school degree.  

Not too long ago, Alex, 7, and Josseline, 6, spent their afternoons working in a field, grazing cows and collecting grass to feed pigs and guinea pigs. One of their most common tasks, as it is for other children in Chordeleg, Azuay, Ecuador, was recollecting toquilla straw. The material is used to create Panamanian hats which are very popular among local workers and tourists.