Project „viva el fútbol“

Mark Kuster (Camaquito Founder & CEO) & 
Jörg Stiel (ex-Captain Swiss National Football Team)

„viva el fútbol“ is one of the football projects in Cuba initiated by the children’s charity Camaquito.Camaquito is a politically and confessionally independent, international charity that supports Cuban children and adolescents in the fields of health, education, sport and culture. Camaquito was founded in Switzerland in 2001, and then also in Germany. Camaquito has the status of a recognized children’s charity both in Europe and in Cuba.
With our football project we want to expand our activities. And your donation will help to ensure a reasonable free time activity and make the dream of many Cuban children come true: TO PLAY FOOTBALL

Heartfelt thanks for your trust and support!

Your "viva el fútbol" Team with Jörg Stiel

In 2006 two former Swiss sports students, and the NGO Camaquito had the idea of expanding the project strategy. Sport should be used to provide longer term support in the development of children and adolescents in Camagüey / Cuba. Sport provides more than physical activity and a way of staying healthy – it also has social components. It promotes a sense of belonging, is used as an instrument in tackling juvenile violence and drugs, and can be employed as a character developer and social integrator. In the months thereafter several discussions were held with the local and national football associations, other Cuban authorities and with the local population. Today the concept is mature, and consists of the following programs:

Support of various junior teams
Various junior teams are provided with football gear.

http://www.vivaelfutbol.org/en/children-s-football-program/outskirts-teams.html

Support of girl's and women's football
Active participation of Cuban girls and women is still low. For this reason Camaquito has decided to give this topic priority. Fortunately since 2011 girls' football tournaments are held in Camagüey yearly. The games are played in the different outskirt regions from Camaqüey. As girls football is still something of a novelty the there is considerable curiosity amongst young and old.
http://www.vivaelfutbol.org/en/girls-and-women-s-football.html
 

Support of Camagüey's 1st team
Camaqüey's 1st team has an important part to play when it comes to making the local population even more enthusiastic for the idea of the 'viva el fútbol' project. The players should be both an example as well as role models. For this reason they too are  fitted out with football gear. Technical support for the coach and his team is also envisaged.
http://www.vivaelfutbol.org/en/football-in-cuba/1st-team-camagueey.html
 

Jörg Stiel supports "viva el fútbol"
The ex-goalie of the Swiss national squad serves as a Football Ambassador, and technical advisor. The training camps he runs in Camagüey, Cuba are the main focus of his work, the first camp being in April 2008. This was also published in the cuban press.

http://www.vivaelfutbol.org/en/project-viva-el-futbol/joerg-stiel-s-football-events-in-cuba.html

Constructing a new football stadium in Camagüey

http://www.vivaelfutbol.org/en/infrastructure/football-stadium-in-camagueey.html

Technical advisor Beni Bruggmann

Beni Bruggmann is married, has three adult children and seven grandchildren. He taught junior high pupils in St. Gallen and Widnau (Rheintal) for 42 years, and is now retired.

He has been actively involved in football all his life.  He was a trainer at many different levels: (National Bundesliga, 1st division, 2nd division, 3rd division, junior teams). He has been an instructor for the Swiss football association for nearly 40 years,  teaching trainers. With the emergence of children's football some 20 years ago, he too began developing his interest in this field. He is now one of the Swiss Football Association's greatest experts in this area. He has created a lot of educational material, and published the official text book Children's Football.

Today he is a campaigner for the right kind of children's football, which is based on enjoyment instead of pressure and the obligation to succeed. Points and victories are of secondary importance in Camaquito's project too, compared with sport suitable for children. This is why he is a strong supporter of this project.