The young person is trained…
Those who have learned, pass it on.
MAIS ESPORTE trains young people in Brazilian favelas to become Urban Adventure Coaches, sports leaders who can also organise adventurous and challenging activities. They then guide the children in their own neighbourhood through sport and play. A generation defined not by where they come from, but by what they are capable of.
We believe that a period as a sports leader, under the guidance of an experienced coach, helps these young people enormously in making the step to the labour market. Along the way they learn and practise all kinds of skills that matter at work.
Why this is needed now
In north eastern Brazil, a large group of young people grows up in conditions where opportunities are scarce and negative influences are present every day. Many lack access to good education, stable work, safe living conditions and inspiring role models.
The consequences are visible:
- dropping out of school
- crime
- hopelessness
- a lack of prospects
Yet that is exactly where the potential lies. We believe young people do not need pity, but trust, responsibility and the chance to develop themselves.
Our mission
MAIS ESPORTE aims to grow into an international platform for experiential learning, leadership and community impact. Over the coming years we are building:
- a centre of expertise for experiential learning
- a scalable method
- international collaborations
- connections with education
- a growing network of partners
Our aim is to develop a model that can also be used in other regions and countries.
Young people leading young people.
Young people do not only learn skills for themselves. They go on to guide other children and young people in their own surroundings. That is where a powerful form of peer education begins.
…and the child is guided.
And then it begins again.
Learning by doing.
- personal development
- leadership training
- sport and experiential learning
- coaching
- community building
Why this approach works
MAIS ESPORTE builds on more than 25 years of experience by ARCA in the Brazilian favelas. The approach is locally rooted, grounded in practice and proven effective.
What makes our method distinctive
- young people leading young people
- learning by doing
- a focus on ownership
- a direct link to the future and the labour market
- a strong combination of local impact and international cooperation
We believe lasting change happens when young people become part of the solution themselves.
The training centre.
Sitio (estate) Vale da Serra lies in the mountains of Maranguape, in the state of Ceará, just 25 km from the capital Fortaleza in north eastern Brazil.
The site covers 75 hectares, rich in nature, water, waterfalls, rivers and natural pools that fill during the rainy season. Seven kilometres of walking trails run through it, and 22 educational platforms have been built: clearings in the forest with their own specific infrastructure, each with its own pedagogical purpose.
Sitio Vale da Serra grew out of the dream of creating a place where young people with few opportunities can develop socially and emotionally through experiential learning. That method recognises the value of "learning by doing", the connection with nature, and young people being the captain of their own learning.
Vale da Serra was founded by two physical education teachers (Onno Raadsen and Milza Gomes Raadsen), both with extensive experience in human development through sport and play in countries including Brazil, the Netherlands, Guatemala, Haiti, Timor Leste and several African countries.
What we want to achieve in five years.
These are goals for the coming five years, not results already achieved.
- 240young peopletrained as Urban Adventure Coaches
- 1,500+childrenreached
- 20impact campsorganised
- 50Dutch primary schoolsinvolved through the teaching programme Wat zie jij?
- 10,000+peoplereached indirectly
Alongside that, we are working on
- greater self confidence among young people
- stronger communities
- less influence from crime
- better prospects for work and education
More than sponsorship.
Partners commit not merely to a project, but to an international movement with visible social impact.
The three partnership options
Community partnerConnect
from € 12,500 / year
For: a first introduction, easy to start
- a mention as partner on the website and in all communications, and your logo on the Sportbus
- photos, videos and stories for your own marketing and CSR communication
- digital updates and a twice yearly financial and impact report through an impact dashboard
- an invitation to the annual partner meeting
- a fully arranged 7 day trip to Brazil for 2 employees, including flights, a project visit and a day out with the Sportbus to the interior
Impact partnerBroaden
from € 25,000 / year
For: visibility and team building
Everything in Community partner, plus:
- the fully arranged 7 day trip to Brazil for 4 employees
- a half day workshop on location by Onno, worth € 2,000
- a film about MAIS ESPORTE every six months for your own promotion
- one presentation a year on the impact of the project, for an audience of your choice
- the option to offer employees or business relations an impact trip at your own cost, and afterwards to contribute to the teaching programme Wat zie jij?
Strategic partnerAnchor
from € 50,000 / year
For: visibility and team building, strategic
Everything in Community and Impact partner, plus:
- a fully arranged 10 day journey for 4 employees through north eastern Brazil on a Full Moon Expedition, including a project visit and a day with the Sportbus
- your name connected to an important part of the project, such as part of a building or programme
- a training of up to 2 half days on location by Onno, worth € 3,500
- up to 2 presentations a year on the impact, and a progress meeting with Onno twice a year
This is a summary. Every benefit per package is listed in the overview, which is in Dutch.
Partnership options (PDF, Dutch)Start small.
A partnership does not have to be large or long term from the start. First get to know MAIS ESPORTE through an inspiring workshop or training for your team. Onno runs interactive sessions on location or elsewhere, based on the experiential method young people in Brazil use to work on their personal development. Leadership, cooperation, resilience and personal development can be at the centre. The workshop can be booked entirely on its own, with no further obligation.
Guide price: € 2,000 to € 3,500 per workshop or training
Depending on group size, content and duration.
Collaborations offer, among other things
- a concrete contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
- strong employer branding
- authentic storytelling and content
- employee engagement
- international visibility
- access to a network of impact driven organisations
Not from the sidelines.
Partners genuinely become part of the movement. For example:
- impact journeys to Brazil
- volunteer programmes
- education projects
- inspiration sessions
- storytelling and content creation
- international cooperation
Not involved from the sidelines, but in the middle of the impact.
Read the whole story.
The project description explains in more detail what MAIS ESPORTE does, for whom and why. You can read both the short version and the full project plan for 2027 to 2031 here.
Help build the next generation of leaders.
We are looking for organisations that see beyond sponsorship, that want to invest in human potential and lasting social impact.
Arrange an introductory conversation and discover how your organisation becomes part of this movement.
- info@maisesporte.nl
- +31 6 19 63 09 20