Empowering Youth in Mozambique: Our Journey with Favela United
- December 23, 2025
- By Tobias Woudt
They say that football is the world’s only true universal language.
It is a dialogue spoken not with words, but with passing, movement, and shared passion.
This December, we traded our classrooms for the pitch as we travelled to Maputo, Mozambique, to witness this language in action.
It was there that we had the honour of visiting Favela United…
The Story of Favela United
We were warmly welcomed by Patrick, the founder of Favela United. Originally from the Netherlands, Patrick shared the inspiring story behind the organisation and how it all began more than a decade ago in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. What started as a local initiative has since grown into an international movement, now actively supporting young people in Mozambique.
More Than Just a Game
During our visit, Patrick introduced us to Favela United’s mission: empowering youth through a powerful combination of education and football. We watched the children train and play, and we were immediately impressed by their skill, energy and teamwork. It was evident that the football pitch serves as more than just a place to play; it is a safe space where confidence, discipline and mutual respect are built.
Favela United supports young people from marginalised communities, with a strong focus on leadership, equality and violence prevention. Over the past ten years, the organisation has reached more than 50,000 children in Mozambique and Brazil, offering them guidance, structure and opportunities.
Some participants have even progressed to become coaches and mentors themselves, inspiring the next generation.
A Shared Language
Beyond sport, our conversations also touched on respect, cultural differences and language barriers. These themes strongly resonated with us as a language school. It became clear that football and language learning have much in common: both bring people together, create understanding across cultures, and require communication, patience and teamwork. Just as learning a new language opens doors, football creates connection and a shared sense of purpose, even when words fall short.
Looking Ahead
We are proud to support Favela United as part of our CSR efforts.
This visit reaffirmed our belief in the power of education, opportunity and human connection to unlock potential and create positive change.
To learn more about their incredible work, please visit: www.favelaunited.com
