CALI – Known for being among the most dangerous cities in the world, Cali dominates a rural region pervaded by violence and clashes. Some of these are concentrated precisely in the villages where Inter Campus operates, such as Miranda, Corinto, and Caloto. The reasons are ideological on one side and economic on the other, linked to the control of the drug market, which threatens children from a very young age.
The field, as is so often the case, becomes a safe space. Not only in a physical sense, but also metaphorically in terms of values and good conduct. Those who do not respect the Inter Campus rules are not admitted: learning, first of all, then cooperation among friends, a healthy lifestyle, and community spirit.
The coaches are direct products of the education system, sometimes more important than the teachers themselves. “In my group, we have tried to help children, even as young as ten years old, move away from drug dependency; this is something that saddens us. There were three children in trouble, and we managed to save two. The project was fundamental because it gives us the tools to act.” This is the testimony of one of them, proud and uneasy at the same time, for not being able to save all of them.
The power of sport is extraordinary, even when faced with issues so great they seem insurmountable. Today we see many results, and we will see more tomorrow. We move forward with patience; Inter Campus is like a drop that carves into rock.