By Carlyn Rodgers | Public Relations & Fundraising Officer
Since the start of 2025, UmRio has continued expanding its reach and deepening its impact across the greater metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro. Today, our programs operate in seven partner schools, offering over 72 hours of extracurricular learning, sport, and development opportunities each week to children and young people from underprivileged and marginalized communities across Greater Rio. Guided by our Five Pillars of Programming - Rugby, Education, Healthcare, Employability, and Social Welfare - we have provided holistic support that meets our participants’ needs both inside and outside the classroom. Alongside our ongoing activities, our specialized campaigns have addressed critical community challenges, from hunger and lack of access to essential healthcare to educational exclusion and growing illiteracy.
Since the launch of our GlobalGiving campaign, UmRio’s 2025 mid-year data has shown meaningful improvements across essential participant indicators, including mental health (+13%), self-esteem (+9%), resilience (+6%), self-confidence (+4%), and sense of belonging (+2%) - all of which show important positive trends. Students have also reported greater communication skills and improved financial literacy, reflecting the growing strength of our education and employability pillars. These results reaffirm our integrated approach, where rugby serves as both an entry point and a catalyst for lasting personal and social transformation.
The past three months have also marked major milestones for UmRio as an organization. In August, we installed official rugby posts on our pitch, marking the favela of Morro do Castro, our longest partner community, as having the only official rugby pitch in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This development represents a major investment in our students and their futures, creating a dedicated, safe, and inspiring space for learning and growth. In October, UmRio was featured on Globo Esporte - a subsidiary of Globo, Brazil’s largest television network - which showcased the transformative impact of our work. These achievements reflect not only our commitment to our students, but also the growing recognition of UmRio’s model as a blueprint for inclusive youth development.
We at UmRio extend our immense gratitude to all of our GlobalGiving supporters whose generosity continues to make this progress possible. Your belief in our mission helps us to level the playing field for young people across Greater Rio de Janeiro and to create opportunities where they are most needed. We invite you to continue standing with us - through your ongoing support and by following our future updates - as we keep building brighter, more equitable futures.
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