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Luta Pela Paz

Luta Pela Paz (Fight for Peace) uses boxing and martial arts combined with education, mentoring, youth leadership and employability to help youth in Maré.

Maré, one of the biggest favelas in Rio de Janeiro, has suffered decades of drug-related violence.
Young people growing up there face high levels of poverty, limited public services, social and economic exclusion and human rights abuses. In 2017, there were 108 major shootouts in the community, resulting in 42 deaths, 57 injuries, and 35 days of school closures - 17% of the school year. 

Fight for Peace (FFP), or Luta Pela Paz in Portuguese, began working in Maré as a direct response to youth involvement in drug-related crime and violence. FFP uses boxing and martial arts combined with education, mentoring, youth leadership and employability to help Maré youth.
Children who attend FFP are 68% less likely to commit a crime or carry a weapon – a significant change in a community marked by violence.
Luta Pela Paz Programme with Adriana Lima

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