Impact Story

Assisting A Dream Of Impact In Paraguay

Mariano Soler is a community leader in Loma Plata, Paraguay who is passionate about making a difference in the lives of underprivileged children. One of the ways he goes about this is by working as the Regional Sports Coordinator for Deporvida – an organization that was started in partnership with TeamUp, and whose mission is to assist in community development across Paraguay through sports.

Mariano’s Loma Plata is one of the Paraguayan communities where Deporvida has been active. Located in a region known as the Chaco, it is a safe area with relatively low crime rates. That said, however, a lot of its children grow up in single-parent households and in need of both mentorship and healthy outlets in which to invest their time. Through Deporvida – which translates in English to “Life through Sport” – Mariano has been able to provide them with exactly that. Organized practices, games and shared meals have all opened the door for him to teach them how to play sports while simultaneously teaching them valuable life skills and fostering an atmosphere of hope, purpose and belonging.

The absence of adequate lighting in the nighttime has proved a challenge, however, as it has hampered youth’s ability to play sports for a satisfactory amount of time after the end of their school day. This is why when Trinity Western University’s Women’s Volleyball team visited Loma Plata in partnership with TeamUp last May, they devoted two full days to helping dig trenches at one of Deporvida’s fields so that electricity would run to the new lights that were being installed there. These lights will enable Mariano to continue serving and impacting the children of Loma Plata.

Written By:

✍️ Sacha Mugisha, January 31, 2024

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