Exchange and integration

From the 19th to the 21st, the 1st Exchange in Social Projects took place in Vacaria, bringing together WimBelemDon and Lapidando Cidadãos, from the Associação de Amparo a Meninos e Meninas Assistidos. The project covers over 300 young people, with tennis as its main topic, with the aim of changing the reality of vulnerable children and adolescents. On a cold weekend, 20 WimBelemDon students participated in a series of integration activities with project members – including a Davis Cup-style competition, organizing children and young people from both institutions into blue and orange teams, which are the colors of Lapidando Cidadãos. This first edition of the exchange between social projects ended with an award ceremony, in which everyone received medals and certificates.

Beach tennis lessons

On the 30th, at the invitation of journalist Filipe Gamba, nine students and two instructors were at Villa Beach for a beach tennis lesson for the first time, with local instructors. The establishment also promoted an action to collect donations to the NGO, together with Chocólatras Anônimos

September

Jaleska in the USA

Difficulties were not an impediment for our instructor Jaleska Mendes to realize her dream of participating in an exchange program in the USA. It all started in 2013 when, aged 18, leaving the project as a student, she decided to continue working with tennis and saw an opportunity to study at an American college. After nine years, a lot of dedication to the foreign language, a visa denied twice and a pandemic, she managed to travel at the invitation of the US government, due to her work as an instructor at WimBelemDon. She and 11 other professionals working in sports initiatives visited Denver, Colorado, from September 16 through 25. They took part in lectures – topics as leadership and sports – and learned about various social projects and universities. On her way back, Jaleska shared her experience with all students.

WimBelemDon is intended for children and teenagers to keep their dreams and have the ability to make them come true. Jaleska’s experience touched everyone as an example and, above all, her perseverance.

December

Visitors from the USA

Exchange is an amazing opportunity to meet new people and learn about other cultures, which is why 14 young Americans came to experience an action promoted by the Office of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State, through the Sport for Social Change program, which included WimBelemDon in the group’s activities. Four teenagers and eight young adults practicing jiu-jitsu, capoeira, taekwondo, judo and karate, as well as two coordinators from the NGO PH International, which created and was responsible for carrying out the exchange, attended our headquarters on the 13th. Interaction with our students was instantaneous, despite the language barrier. The group participated in a yoga workshop and played tennis, volleyball and basketball. The visitors also demonstrated the martial arts they practice. They returned home with our 22nd anniversary commemorative book signed by our students.

Piscar 2022

Held at the end of the year and created to integrate the team, the PISCAR (Planning, Inspiring, Dreaming, Celebrating, Thanking and Reflecting) program was held on the 9th and 10th at Ecoland hotel, in the city of Igrejinha. With specific activities and moments for each “letter”, the event received special guests on the second day: the participants’ families. The program focuses on connection, moments of sharing and reflection, but also provides space for relaxation: games, swimming pool, sports, horseback riding etc. In this edition, the participants stayed overnight at the site. BNP Paribas sponsored the event.

Former tennis players at WBD

October

Book release

We have launched the second edition of the book WimBelemDon, Uma História de Sonhos, Educação, Perseverança e Transformação Social” (WimBelemDon, A Story of Dreams, Education, Perseverance and Social Transformation). It is a revised version of the 2020 book, with 320 richly illustrated pages and provides, in printed and digital format, an English version. The launch took place during a multimedia exhibition alluding to our 22 years anniversary, at BarraShoppingSul.

At the end of the month, we received a visit from former tennis players Vânia King and Nicolás Pereira, as part of the US State Department’s Sports Diplomacy Program. She is American and in-doubles champion at Wimbledon and the US Open. He is Venezuelan and youth champion at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open. For four days, in addition to participating in activities at the headquarters, together with our students, they visited our 22-year anniversary exhibition at BarraShoppingSul, participating in the chat about female representation in sport, and attended the Tattoo Tennis at Escola Evarista Flores da Cunha, among other activities.