INTER CAMPUS IN KINSHASA AND KIMBONDO

KINSHASA – Here we were again in Kinshasa for the first visit of the season in the Democratic Republic of the Congo along with Ujana, our association partner. We conducted four days of training sessions, in the morning and afternoon, involving all the Inter Campus children while taking advantage of the sessions to continue with the training courses for the three local coaches, led by our representative Alain Tsepuk.

There were 200 children in the Nerazzurri colours to play with us ‘mundele’ (‘white men’ in the local Lingana dialect of Congo), and together with their friends, who gathered around the sand training pitch to cheer, they created a magical atmosphere crackling with energy as they urged us on to do our best. It’s something we certainly always try to do in order to make every visit useful, fun and effective.

Providing even more joy was the regular visit to the children’s hospital in Kimbondo, located a few kilometres outside the capital. This hospital houses a group of 60 so-called ‘witch children’ who, due to birth defects, forms of autism or other problems at birth, are accused of being carriers of curses and subsequently abandoned by their families. They are looked after by Father Hugo, a true pillar of the community who attends to the needs, problems and illnesses of these special children. For the moment, Inter Campus organises an annual tournament among the children, with the hope and intention of one day being able to create a true Inter Campus chapter, with dedicated coaches and weekly activities to accompany the kids’ growth process by way of games and sport.

29.09.2013