November, 2015

Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Capoeira: New GVI Mexico Community Activity

Objective
The objective of this new initiative is to create an ongoing sports project with our new partner
Capoeira Cativeiro in Playa del Carmen.
Summary
In September 2015, staff members from the Mexico Community Projects met with a representative
from Capoeira Cativeiro in Playa del Carmen to discuss the potential of a new partnership. The aim
was to develop a way for GVI to support this partner with their Capoeira classes, with a new set of
classes starting within the downtown area of Playa del Carmen.
Report
This monthly achievement report will be focussing on a new sports initiative that has been started
within the GVI Mexico Community projects. Through the efforts of a previous volunteer, Omar Cardona from Capoeira Cativeiro in Playa del Carmen made contact with the base manager in order to
form a new partnership with GVI.
As described in the
previous
monthly
achievement report,
the foundation of
Capoeira (1,2), which
started in Brazil, is the
intolerance of discrimination of others
based on their ethnicity, social status or any
other defining attributes that could cause
prejudice. This means
that anyone who
wants to train is allowed. This creates an
environment where
people from varied
backgrounds are able Fig. 1The first visit of Omar to Invasores
to interact, often when
they would never have had the opportunity to do so. This helps promote tolerance, equality and
acceptance of all.
This martial arts incorporates dance, movement, percussion and non-contact martial arts into its
activities and provides excellent physical exercise, promotes discipline and provides focus to its participants. This is potentially very beneficial for children who have social issues who require direction
and guidance and in the past, Omar and his colleagues have provided training to children in exchange for helping with cleaning and upkeep within the training premises with very positive results.

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After an initial discussion between

Omar and our base manager, it was
apparent that there was a possibility of the formation of a new project. Specifically, GVI could provide
staff and volunteers that would be
trained in basic Capoeira with the
plan that they would support Omar
with a new group of children due to
start classes within downtown Playa del Carmen. So far, 4 staff members have been to at least 4 sessions of Capoeira and we have
started taking volunteers as well.
Fig. 2The kids and GVI staff and volunteers warming up for the Capoeira
class

As a result of this new partnership, we have incorporated a Capoeira class within our timetable for
our Invasores initiative (3), which is supported by both GVI staff and volunteers. It has been a great
success with the children in Invasores and has been included since our first visit back to Invasores in
September, 2015.
Overall this partnership has been very successful and we are looking forward to being involved with
the classes of the new group of children. There were some other potentials ways in which GVI could
help support this initiative. The potential scope of this project is very exciting and we are looking
forward to seeing where it goes in the near and far future.
References:
1. https://www.princeton.edu/~capoeira/ln_abt.html
2. http://cativeirocapoeira.mex.tl/photo_131622_Sin-Nombre.html
3. GVI Mexico Community Projects October Monthly Achievement Report

If you want to know more about the childcare project in Mexico ,please check out:
http://www.gvi.co.uk/programs/volunteer-childcare-projects-mexico/

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