O testemunho No. 1 da Dina (Bola p'ra frente)

 

Hello everyone,

My name is Dina, and I come from Serbia. I’ve been volunteering for a month at the Associação Nacional de Futebol de Rua in Lisbon, Portugal. The association is located in a neighborhood where there are many children of various ages and different backgrounds. More precisely, fewer opportunities, facing poverty, being exposed to bullying, overall violence and delinquency, and members of different ethnic groups that are being discriminated against. Therefore, the association represents a comfortable space for everyone. Apart from the amazing facilities the association offers, it is first and foremost a warm corner with dear employees, interns, and volunteers who are always in a mood to dedicate their time to every child that comes and support them in any way. Simply put, ANFR is a place to share your life, no matter if it is happy, sad, tragic, or lonely. We stand united and stronger, bearing the upcoming days side by side.

Frankly speaking, saying that I am a volunteer is not adequate and precise. I feel more like I am doing the work of a superhero. The super hero who always has time to listen to many struggles and sad stories, and bring colors into gray children’s lives Apart from being a shoulder for crying, we share very happy moments. We have already celebrated more than 5 birthdays, one of them being the association’s 15 years of existence. Each birthday and holiday are celebrated with delicious food and drinks, which we embellish with colorful and sparkly handmade decorations.

As I don’t speak Portuguese, communication has been a bit challenging, but we manage to understand each other by using nonverbal communication. One of the things I usually do at ANFR is help kids with their homework, mostly mathematics, arts, and English. Together with colleagues, we deliver different educational presentations and workshops regarding many topics like violence, healthy lifestyles, sustainability, and others. Furthermore, we play various games, starting from simple ones to more advanced ones, where different values and knowledge can be gained. Lastly, we use street football to develop different skills, like teamwork, self-control, time management, patience, empathy, discipline, and many others. Some of the activities that marked this month were a visit to a professional hairdresser, a movie at a cinema, a visit to local activities, a picnic, and a celebration of Magusto.

My amazing flatmates  and their stunning personalities should not be overlooked. They contribute a lot to my life in Portugal. We spent a lot of time together. We explore all the possibilities Lisbon offers daily. Aside from that, we visited many surrounding cities and beaches. Long conversations in warm and cozy clothes with hot chocolate are my favorites.

Overall, I am really happy to be here and surrounded by amazing people, as well as to be a part of the association and to contribute as much as I can to make the lives of children happier, better, more interesting, and richer when it comes to knowledge and skills because, at the end of the day, don’t we all need someone to bring colors into our lives?