Maré United
This project's parent organization is Fight for Peace
It operates in Brazil
It uses Multiple sports
Shortlisted for the Sport for Conflict Resolution Award
More about Maré United
Fight for Peace has been using boxing and martial arts as the cornerstone of a holistic package of support for young people (YP) affected by crime and violence for the past 16 years. Combat sports are especially powerful when it comes to engaging YP that are exposed to / involved in risky behaviours, and when delivered in combination with personal development, education and employment support they are highly effective for helping YP to resist or desist from engaging in crime and violence, and to progress in education and work. These sports also promote a series of characteristics such as discipline, respect, hard-work and resilience which are transferrable life skills. Maré United is using these values inherent to combat sports to increase social cohesion in a community divided by warring drug factions.
At both a local and international level sport is increasingly being used as a development tool, especially in the areas of gang and violence prevention and youth engagement. FFP is recognised as an expert in reducing youth involvement in organised armed violence, a leading example of holistic sport-based development work, and one of the only B&MA-based programmes working at scale