Instituto ESB transforms the lives of families in Maricá through sport

Activities

The ESB Institute is based on the promotion of surfing, bodysurfing, bodyboarding, running, kitesurfing, and skateboarding. The activities take place on the shores of Maricá, mainly on Ponta Negra Beach, a place with greater ease for teaching the modalities.

The institute also promotes social assistance through the distribution of food handouts, collection and donations of warm clothing during the winter – in addition to supporting whatever is necessary in the event of tragedies such as large floods, which are natural in the locality. In the latter case, the project is mobilised to help the affected families. Families, on the other hand, can be those who are already enrolled in the programme or those who are not, but who all live in the municipality and are vulnerable.

How does the project work?

Students enter the activities through registration, which requires that the student, if old enough to be in school, brings a school statement, a medical certificate, or permission from the guardian if the student is a minor.

Age range: Children as young as four years old, youth, adults, and seniors are all welcome.

In the case of children between 4 and 11 years old, the so-called ESB Kids, they need to be accompanied by a guardian on the sand during the activities.

Number of beneficiaries

The project currently has 150 registered students. Most of them are teenagers, and about 25 are children. In addition to these, 10 other members over 50 are also part of the group.

The project coordination team is made up of:

• Frank Correia, founder.
• Amanda Souza, acting president of the ESB Institute.
• Rodrigo Figueiredo; coordinator, a member of the communication board, and responsible for maintaining the project’s social networks.

In addition to coordinating the activities, this team manages the project and teaches water sports classes alongside 32 other instructors who were once project participants. The instructors have backgrounds as diverse as civil servants, biology master’s degree holders, and physical education professionals. All are volunteers. All are volunteers.

How is the ESB Institute maintained?

Students who can afford it contribute five reais a month, and each class takes a kilo of non-perishable food.

The cash contribution is invested in fuel expenses, the purchase of equipment, and minor equipment maintenance. With the food, monthly food handouts are assembled and distributed to a group of registered or unregistered families who are vulnerable municipal residents

Why was the ESB Institute created?

“I’m a professional surfer and I’ve always had a habit of teaching other people what I’ve learned in this sport. I always showed the way, because when I started to surf, I went through many difficulties, nobody taught me and in our region, there was no such thing. Four people saw in me the possibility of passing on what I knew to them, of being a facilitator, one day while I was surfing. Through these four students, I started teaching and the ESB Institute was born, which is a project and at the same time an institution, since it has been formalised”, explains Frank Correia.

Challenges

For Frank, the biggest challenge was to change the culture of the population in relation to unions, as a tool to change an individual’s life.

Frank adds: “Our top priority and greatest challenge was to reshape the population’s perspective. People have a tendency to believe that everything boils down to payment; they believe that any action must involve significant costs. Through the project, we prove that with little, so together, we can accomplish much.”

Victories

For President Amanda, the project’s biggest success was when a student who was planning to commit suicide was invited to participate in a class with them by a mutual friend who was an ESB student. When he got to the place where everything was happening, he liked the “vibe,” he liked meeting our people, and he started taking part. A while later, he finally confessed to us that attending the class prevented him from carrying out his plan of suicide, and he has remained a member of the group ever since.

Rodrigo, on the other hand, considers the project’s ability to include people to be a victory, saving lives through sport and promoting social inclusion.

Frank emphasises the significance of student participation, stating that the students must feel valued in order to appreciate the value of the course and their role in the project. At first, the intention was to set a price per class, but it was at this point that Frank struck a deal with the older students and those in charge of the younger ones: in order to keep the project going, they would contribute five reais per month and a kilo of non-perishable food per class. And the scheme is working very well, and the project ends up benefiting the community twice, providing classes as well as  food handouts to struggling families.

Project vision for the next 10 years

Rodrigo anticipates that in ten years, this transformation tool will be even more inclusive, with the ESB Institute’s activities extending to the entire coastline of Marica and neighbouring municipalities. Today, the actions are restricted to Ponta Negra Beach due to limited resources.

ESB Institute needs

Today, the project’s greatest need is its own headquarters with a swimming pool, which Frank believes will stimulate the students’ growth and development. Today’s classes, in which the first activity is swimming, are held on the beach, in the open sea, and because it is such a large space, it is difficult for everyone to learn. Students will be able to learn more quickly and easily, as well as feel safer, in a swimming pool, where space is limited. The acquisition of a headquarters would also allow for the implementation of  school reinforcement with the goal of assisting students and preparing them for tests in the National High School Exam (ENEM) or for admission to the Military School.

Another urgent necessity is the purchase of equipment, such as shirts, uniforms with sunscreen, fins, surfboards, safety equipment and sunscreen, in order to improve the quality of classes, as the monthly collection does not cover these costs.

Actions during the Pandemic

Classes are suspended, as the number of students per class makes activities impossible due to the agglomeration. But social assistance actions, such as the deliveries of food handouts, did not stop – however, with the suspension of classes, the volume of donations decreased a lot. Because of the pandemic, other items such as cleaning kits, personal hygiene material, and alcohol 70 have been added to food handouts..

However, maintaining the delivery of these food handouts is a challenge because food storage is done during weekly classes, which are not currently happening..

During last Easter, this year, the project managed to innovate by collecting about 220 boxes of chocolates that were delivered to children in general, not just the project. The volunteers were divided into two teams to carry out the task of collecting the chocolates and then delivering them to the children.

Depositions

“In 2016, I met ESB and fell in love with the sport. Since then, I have only grown to love and appreciate the school as if it were my home, and everyone there has become like a second family to me. Everything I know today is thanks to the ESB, for which I am very grateful. I can say that it changed my lifestyle in such positive way that it even encouraged my family to join in. My mother, younger sister, and I all participate. I am very grateful to Frank and everyone who welcomed me there from the start. I can say that it has a significant impact on people’s lives.”

Davi de Sousa, 21 years old, volunteer instructor and second director of the EESB Institute

“I have a house in Maricá, and whenever I went to Ponta Negra, I was afraid to go into the sea, despite knowing how to swim. I saw surfers in the water and thought how good it would be to surf. At that time, I was in a very bad place, crying a lot and not wanting to do anything, so I found out about a surf school and, very embarrassed, I asked if I could join the class and Frank promptly welcomed me and Amanda taught me the first magical sensations of bodyboarding. After I started, the joy of going surfing every Saturday was immense”

Maria Sulmira Guimarães, 64 years old, retired teacher.

 “The ESB Institute taught me to respect the sea and others. ”

David, 8 years

“ESB is more than just teaching surfing; it evokes values in young people and children, helps build responsibility and respect for others, and teaches them how to be dignified adults. The teachers are excellent, dedicated, and do excellent social work. I’m here to express my gratitude to the ESB. ”

Adriano, 49 years old, father of student Davi.

Did you like the ESB Institute?

Get in touch and learn how to support.

Phone: +55 (21) 99749-8429

E-mail: Institutoesb.fc@gmail.com