Solidarity blog: Being part of a Modern Tribe

Over the years, Amazonas has created and perfected some social programs to help children at risk of social exclusion: one of the most important is “Tribo Moderna”, which in Portuguese means modern tribe. This support program for children at risk seeks to address the difficulties of these young members of our community and helps them to form a positive environment around them, a network of friendships and to learn social skills. Amazonas currently has 8 partnerships with as many schools throughout Croatia, including four in Zagreb, one in Zaprešić, two in Rijeka and one in Pula. When officials of these schools, for example psychologists or school counselors, notice that one of the children is experiencing one of the problems listed above, they contact the child’s parents, who are redirected to Amazonas.
This is the moment that the association comes into play, which by organizing physical activities and workshops that extend the philosophy and principles of capoeira to the everyday life, involves children in group activities trying to transmit values ​​such as equality, importance of the presence of a group as emotional support (hence the name “Tribo Moderna”), the ability to control unpleasant behaviors and try to express them appropriately, self-control when they are provoked and respect for others. In addition, sports activities focused on martial art / capoeria dance include body work, physical training, sports games and teamwork. The project also provides direct assistance for the parents of these children, through counseling, workshops and joint activities with the same children or individual support thanks to the intervention of psychotherapists. Some children, if necessary, can receive individual support with the help of volunteers who have studied or have already participated in child support programs in the past. The main objectives of this project are: to create a positive environment for these children where they can have social interactions with their peers, respect for themselves and others, feel part of an “we” (therefore an affiliation to a community), ability not to give up when they face difficulties that may encounter, commitment and self-discipline.