Raí and his great friend, fellow ex-soccer star Leonardo, shared more than just a passion for the game: they both aspired to make education and culture accessible to children and youths in socially vulnerable situations.
In order for their aspirations to bear fruit in an organized and effective manner, they personally visited projects already being developed by several renowned organizations, such as the Ayrton Senna Institute, Cenpec, Casa do Teatro and the Abrinq Foundation. Based on the knowledge and guidelines they gleaned from these reference entities, they proceeded to assemble a team of professionals and to develop their own working method.
And that is how the Fundação Gol de Letra came into being in 1998, now recognized by UNESCO as a model institution in this area. Currently the Foundation helps more than 1,200 children, teenagers and youths, aged from 7 to 24, in the cities of São Paulo (Vila Albertina) and Rio de Janeiro (Caju).
The institution’s Fulltime Education programs aim to awaken a new world view among these youths, as well as the pleasure of learning, through activities such as dance, theater, the arts, computer studies and sport.
