Enabling homeless young people in Portugal to regain their independence
With homelessness already a major problem in Portugal and employment rates dropping drastically over the last decade, the number of people pushed under the poverty line has increased by up to 30% since 2008.
CAIS was founded in 1994 to support people suffering from extreme poverty and social exclusion - homeless people, in particular - to give them the chance to regain independence and control over their lives.
CAIS’ programme “Futebol de Rua” was started in 2004 with participation in the annual Homeless World Cup and has evolved into a nationwide project. Today, it delivers regular football training sessions while at the same time offering participants further activities to foster their personal, occupational and educational development.