“I am Victoria Leopoldina Gonçalves, coordinator of the Inter Campus project in the Benguela community. I have been part of Inter Campus since March 6, 2019.” Leopoldina begins to speak about herself, seated on a low wall beside the field. “What immediately caught my attention and convinced me to participate was the project’s objective: I like to help others, and I believe there is nothing better to do in this life than to make oneself available to others. You don’t meet many people in the world who are available and suitable for a role like an Inter Campus coach or coordinator; it requires great human sensitivity and sacrifice.”

“What I found most amusing is being chosen as a coordinator among so many men; it still affects me when students address me by calling me ‘Coordinator.’ It’s strange, but at the same time, it’s gratifying.”

Leopoldina is young but astute, an example for her peers and the entire community. In Angola, gender equality is one of the project’s objectives, operating in realities where, in addition to the myriad existing difficulties, a machismo culture prevails. Our girls and female coaches combat it every day, training, playing, and having fun. Her accounts reveal passion and a great desire to learn, alongside the innocent wonder of someone who, without realizing it, has overcome prejudice.

“All of this has made me grow immensely, wow! I’ve learned to interact better with the male world, to listen and try to understand, to resolve any issue that might arise in Inter Campus, and to put myself in others’ shoes. I’ve realized that being a leader doesn’t mean giving orders, but working as a team.”