According to reports of the IOM and the National Institute of Migration, 1.197.624 people crossed through Mexico in so-called caravans of migration between 2018 and 2020. Venezuelans, colombians, salvadorans and hondurans went walking along the southern border, heading to the northern border with the united States. In November 2018, the team Futbol Mas Mexico launched the Mobility Program after five years, ended up benefiting more than 12 thousand people who were in this situation. Among them, many children that accompanied the move from family members and caregivers who passed by 52 hostels in 7 states.

This 2018, Ariana Perez, a professor of Futbol Mas in Mexico, he traveled to The Stick with a group of leaders from the communities where the Foundation had programs in the City of Mexico, to begin with the implementation. Accompanied the caravan from the southern border to the northern border of Tijuana, joining in the tour's professional Futbol Mas than other cities. At that time, the Foundation held an intervention in CDMX, two in Tijuana and six in Chiapas, which decanted into a program of methodological transfer and community integration. Were trained physical education students of two universities in the methodology of Futbol Mas so that they could join the team, and in parallel, we worked with a similar program to Neighborhoods to the boys and girls who were in shelters, with the aim of integrating them into communities. 

Ariana she is currently the Coordinator of the Methodological Futbol Mas and purpose of the challenges you will face Mexico with respect to the mass deportations this year 2025, recalls his experience in those years, and what determines that is the preparation of the professionals who work with children and young people in situation of mobility.  

“We learned a lot of self-care for professionals, as well as psychological first aid, and development of protocols for the prevention of child abuse. We had to be aware of and sensitive to the responsibility that we had to work with these groups. To understand why they leave, what they have gone in the way, what are happening in the spaces where we are and the uncertainty of what is to come. It is an emotional burden too strong, then there's that know how to handle the boundaries,” says Ariana.  

RESPOND TO DIFFERENT CONTEXTS

To properly attend to the needs of the caravan migrants, were added with different lines of action. In the beginning there were sessions sociodeportivas designed from a mesh of containment for children and young people in situation of mobility, then added to the early childhood and finally ‘Mi Viaje Conmigo’, which focused on young people who were in search of opportunities. The objective of this program was to give to the young people, tools, leadership, entrepreneurship, and mentoring, delivered by professionals who are also trained in a trade.  

83% of the boys and girls are happier after participating in the program
(N=453)

The professional of Futbol Mas had available a manual was delivered in the training, which included a mesh of content to work with. Depending on the context was relevant to the choice of the subject. Generally in the south used the first units of sense of belonging, and rights of the child, while in the north the expression and control of emotions. For some children, the session of Futbol Mas was the only instance that had to have fun and express themselves, so that a class was much more a moment of play. 

78% of professionals in the hostels claim that children are better able to resolve conflicts.
(N=60)

The impact of the meetings of Futbol Mas passed by the feeling and the need to have the boys and girls from being visible. “Ustedes sí me escuchan”, “Ustedes sí me miran a los ojos”, was some of the reflections that reminds Ariana during the sessions. In addition, remember that “in this context, people tend to be always formed, the scold. Were left to feel like people. There are children who were returning home, their parents are the ones in charge to Tapachula or Juarez and they Mexicali. Come with fear, anger, anger, hopelessness. Sometimes there was nothing you could do more than listen to them, but the game is very powerful.”

About 20% of people in situation of mobility are children and adolescents, so that resignify part of their migration experience using the sport and the game can be one of the few positive experiences that you will have to connect with yourself, your emotions, the value of teamwork and, above all, their sense of belonging and identity.  

“When we communicated that as they went, took out a Green Card that said, “from” and “to”, then we would write back pocket for that will accompany you during the trip. On one occasion I got a message to Instagram, I opened it and it was a Green Card and a message that said, “profa, I got it, I'm already with my uncles, many thanks.” Receive that was very exciting. There were only two classes in Tapachula and one in Tijuana and the left dial. Maybe we were the only ones in this time that we care”. The former, it is one of the memories that Ariana save with more affection.