Page 41

Pictured Cariocas are finding new inspiration at Fight for PeaceÕs MarŽ AcademyGAMES INSPIRE POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE IN RIOYoung people in Rio de Janeiro have been provided with rare opportunities to participate in sport and personal development in the build-up to the Olympic Games. We look at two social projects which, with support from the IOC, have been at the forefront of these efforts.FIGHT FOR PEACE Fight for Peace is an NGO which was founded in 2000 in MarŽ Ð one of the most disadvantaged and dangerous favelas in Rio de Janeiro Ð and in 2013 became a recipient of the IOCÕs Sport for All grant. Since then, the IOC has supported Fight for PeaceÕs MarŽ Academy through its ÒCommunity ChampionsÓ project, which uses Olympic sports such as boxing, taekwondo, judo and wrestling to promote the development of young people and coaches in communities affected by crime, violence and social exclusion. One recipient of the project, judoka Raissa Souza de Lima, has been chosen to carry the Olympic flame.ONE WIN LEADS TO ANOTHER In September 2015, the IOC signed an agreement with UN Women to start a joint project that uses sport as a tool to build young womenÕs leadership capacity and addresses gender-based violence in Brazil. The project, entitled ÒOne Win Leads to AnotherÓ, received a USD 600,000 contribution from the IOC and initially targeted 2,500 girls aged 12-14 across 50 schools in Rio de Janeiro. Implemented by international NGO Women Win, the programme has delivered sporting opportunities in the build-up to the Olympic Games and spread the messages of non-discrimination and girlsÕ empowerment at BrazilÕs National Youth School Games.OLYMPIC REVIEW 41RIO 2016 PREVIEW