I recently paid a couple visit to Mumbai to check out the capoeira scene and see more of the infamous home of Bollywood. The people I met there and the work they’re doing reinforced my belief not only in the power of capoeira to build a sense of community and self-confidence, but in the importance of giving back.
After the three hour train ride from Pune, I met up with Succuri (Sunil) and Chico (Shantanu) to help with a 3 day capoeira workshop for youth members of a Catholic parish. These two teach capoeira to a variety of groups but their passion lies in the work they do for underprivileged children in the city. After the workshop, over beer at their post-workout hangout, The Yacht (dive Indian restaurant with lots of cold Kingfisher beer), they filled me in on some of the work they’re doing. Succuri teaches capoeira at a local orphanage and assists Chico with a project that local Capoeiristas have started in the Bainganwadi slum in Shivaji Nagar, Mumbai. Despite having a secure job and international work experience, Shantanu quit his office job to start “Familia de Ouro” in the Bainganwadi slum. Chico and his fellow capoeiristas dedicate a good deal of their time to not only teaching weekly capoeira classes to a group of about 20 kids, but also to conducting vocational training, arts
and crafts, and teaching English (despite being taught English in their schools, many children that live in slums in India can barely speak, read, or comprehend English - meaning they will never catch up or have the same opportunities as their peers living outside the slums).
The slums of Mumbai are notorious for poor water quality and sanitation, insufficient water supply, malnutrition, poverty, and crime. Recently, it was discovered that Bainganwadi was receiving only half of its allotted water supply due to government neglect and improper implementation of water supply plans. For these areas, it’s not uncommon that infrastructure upgrades and water supply lines are installed piece-meal and only during election season– after the election is over, the work stops. For the 500,000 residents of Shivaji Nagar, they have been promised a supply of regular water supply for two decades – but today residents still struggle to meet daily water needs and many resort to using sewage water. As a result, slum residents suffer from tuberculosis, leprosy, cholera, etc…Many children can’t go to school because of water insecurity. Bainganwadi also holds the largest landfill in the city – many residents earn or supplement their income by
digging through the landfill for recycling and food.
Succuri took me to Bainganwadi that Sunday – we joined a group of about 10 kids that day who were eager to learn capoeira. In capoeira, students are given a nickname or “apelito” based on their personality or the way they move in the game: Pimenta (hot pepper) was named for her temper; Raposa or “fox” was named for her slyness. As Succuri helped the kids with backflips (something I’ll probably never be able to do), I marveled not only at how great he was teaching these kids, but how happy they were in that moment and so eager to
learn. Capoeira and these amazing mentors are developing these kids into role models for their community. Simply having someone you know you can rely on is a big deal – but now these kids are developing faith in their talents and in each other. All this I could see from one visit. It’s enough to make you quit your job and move to Bombay…
Check out this other article written on the group: http://www.awolau.org/2012/03/08/dancing-across-cultures-youth-in-india-learn-brazilian-capoeira/.
After the three hour train ride from Pune, I met up with Succuri (Sunil) and Chico (Shantanu) to help with a 3 day capoeira workshop for youth members of a Catholic parish. These two teach capoeira to a variety of groups but their passion lies in the work they do for underprivileged children in the city. After the workshop, over beer at their post-workout hangout, The Yacht (dive Indian restaurant with lots of cold Kingfisher beer), they filled me in on some of the work they’re doing. Succuri teaches capoeira at a local orphanage and assists Chico with a project that local Capoeiristas have started in the Bainganwadi slum in Shivaji Nagar, Mumbai. Despite having a secure job and international work experience, Shantanu quit his office job to start “Familia de Ouro” in the Bainganwadi slum. Chico and his fellow capoeiristas dedicate a good deal of their time to not only teaching weekly capoeira classes to a group of about 20 kids, but also to conducting vocational training, arts
and crafts, and teaching English (despite being taught English in their schools, many children that live in slums in India can barely speak, read, or comprehend English - meaning they will never catch up or have the same opportunities as their peers living outside the slums).
The slums of Mumbai are notorious for poor water quality and sanitation, insufficient water supply, malnutrition, poverty, and crime. Recently, it was discovered that Bainganwadi was receiving only half of its allotted water supply due to government neglect and improper implementation of water supply plans. For these areas, it’s not uncommon that infrastructure upgrades and water supply lines are installed piece-meal and only during election season– after the election is over, the work stops. For the 500,000 residents of Shivaji Nagar, they have been promised a supply of regular water supply for two decades – but today residents still struggle to meet daily water needs and many resort to using sewage water. As a result, slum residents suffer from tuberculosis, leprosy, cholera, etc…Many children can’t go to school because of water insecurity. Bainganwadi also holds the largest landfill in the city – many residents earn or supplement their income by
digging through the landfill for recycling and food.
Succuri took me to Bainganwadi that Sunday – we joined a group of about 10 kids that day who were eager to learn capoeira. In capoeira, students are given a nickname or “apelito” based on their personality or the way they move in the game: Pimenta (hot pepper) was named for her temper; Raposa or “fox” was named for her slyness. As Succuri helped the kids with backflips (something I’ll probably never be able to do), I marveled not only at how great he was teaching these kids, but how happy they were in that moment and so eager to
learn. Capoeira and these amazing mentors are developing these kids into role models for their community. Simply having someone you know you can rely on is a big deal – but now these kids are developing faith in their talents and in each other. All this I could see from one visit. It’s enough to make you quit your job and move to Bombay…
Check out this other article written on the group: http://www.awolau.org/2012/03/08/dancing-across-cultures-youth-in-india-learn-brazilian-capoeira/.
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