The Real Madrid Foundation’s social and sports school has started working in Kyiv
A social and sports school of the Real Madrid Foundation, created by the Epicenter for Children NGO, has been launched in Kyiv.
The school was established on the basis of three Kyiv educational institutions: secondary schools #62 in Darnytsia district (17-B Knyazhyi Zaton St.) and #243 in Podil district (10 Novomostytska St.) and V.O. Sukhomlynskyi Ukrainian College #272 in Dniprovskyi district (5-A Sheptytskoho St.).
The school’s students are more than 200 boys and girls aged 6 to 17 from socially vulnerable families (at risk of marginalization due to difficult family circumstances, without means of subsistence, orphans, half-orphans, children from large families). They are provided with food, sports equipment and uniforms. In addition to football and basketball training, students of the Real Madrid Foundation School have the opportunity to deepen their schooling and learn foreign languages. Education at the school is free of charge.
The social and sports school employs a highly qualified team of professionals: coordinators, social workers, coaches, teachers, educators, psychologists and volunteers. In particular, all the coaches were trained by the Real Madrid Foundation’s methodology trainers and received internationally recognized certificates.
“Our goal is to improve the present and future of Ukrainian children. The opportunity to play sports and learn foreign languages at the same time opens up new prospects for the future of our students. Although we don’t expect all of them to become professional athletes in their adult lives, the skills and knowledge that teachers and coaches provide them with will help them improve and overcome difficulties,” says Taras Gerega, vice president of the Epicenter for Children NGO.
Today, the Real Madrid Foundation’s social and sports schools are already operating in Kyiv, Ternopil, as well as in Khmelnytsky and Kyiv regions. In total, the number of pupils of the Real Madrid Foundation’s network of social and sports schools, which have been operating in Ukraine for three years, is over 800 children.
According to the founder of Epicenter K, Oleksandr Gerega, Ukraine is the only country among the participating countries in the Real Madrid Foundation project that currently has an extensive network of social and sports schools.
The sports infrastructure in all Kyiv schools participating in the project was restored at the expense of the project’s financial partner, Epicenter K: major repairs were made to the gyms of these schools and modern stadiums were rebuilt.
In particular, at the College named after M. A football arena with an area of 101.7 m by 61.57 m was built on Sukhomlynskyi Street, which is as close as possible to UEFA standards and recommendations. It will be able to host international sports competitions.
