Inter Campus Angola, in the land of paradoxes

Vast stretches of fertile land... left uncultivated due to many years of war which pushed the people into the big cities; an extremely rich country... with great amounts of social and economic discomfort; so many natural wonders... barely any tourism. An enormous oil production industry, but very little asphalt, because urban and country roads alike are lined with deep “burracos”, that is to say holes or indeed chasms into which locals would hope never to fall, especially after it has rained. And finally, the biggest paradox of them all: despite all these difficulties, this country is home to an extremely joyful, lively and welcoming population, who always make us feel at home on our biannual trip to host an Inter Campus course for almost 60 local coaches and over 800 boys and girls of the Polidesportivo Dom Bosco. This time around the Italian delegation was able to visit every single one of the project centres: from Benguela to Dondo and Calulo, and finally the six urban centres in Luanda, all surrounding the Lixeira district (“the dustbin”), where the Salesian fathers work. Our main point of reference forms part of this group, Father William, a Brazilian Paulist now adopted by the African country. He too confirms the value of the Nerazzurri’s contribution to all of those involved, supporting the educational value of sport. Our very own way of smoothing out contrasts through the beautiful game of football.