A GANAR

A Ganar: Kickstarting Youth

A Ganar, which means "to win" as well as "to earn" in English, is a sports-based training program for disadvantaged youth in LAC that has benefitted around 6,000 young people ages 15 to 24 throughout the region.

The program, which began in 2005 in Brazil, Ecuador and Uruguay, uses sports clinics to teach key employability skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, effective communication, negotiation, respect, discipline, leadership and drive for results.

Participants are eligible for workplace internships that often lead to full-time employment. Starting in 2009 the program was expanded to 10 other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and now includes other sports in addition to soccer, such as baseball and rugby. After participating in the program, nearly 70% of the participants have found work, returned to school, or started a business.