Patricia Goloni created Vidas, a project that has already benefited 250 young people: ‘My motivation was that she could see herself in the other’
The story of Patrizia Goloni merges with the story of Vidas, an organization from São Paulo which, through sport, offers opportunities for socialization to children and adolescents with physical disabilities. This is because his son, Gabriel Goloni, is a disabled person who did not have an environment to play basketball in an accessible way.
“The project was born to provide Gabriel with contact with people like him. My initial motivation was that he could see himself in the other,” says Patricia. The project was born from this difficulty, which has already benefited more than 250 young people. “I always believed that to change the world you didn’t need to do anything big. Just a little change of attitude – and Vidas was my way of showing it to myself and to others.”
When the first contractions appeared, Patricia Goloni did not yet think that her child would be born. After all, a normal pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks and Patricia was only in her 27th week when Gabriel was born in May 2001. “His birth took everyone by surprise. Nobody expected it,” she says.
Due to prematurity, Gabriel had a brain hemorrhage which damaged the part of the brain responsible for sending certain commands to the body. Therefore, he has difficulty walking and uses a wheelchair to facilitate locomotion. “When you become a mother, many doubts arise and, in these conditions, the challenge is even greater,” he says.
Patricia Goloni’s difficulty in finding an environment where her son could play basketball in an accessible way led her to create Vidas, an acronym for Experience and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities through Activities and Awareness. Vidas is an Oscip (Civil Society Organization of Public Interest) that offers opportunities for children and adolescents with physical disabilities to socialize and develop through sport. The goal is to train independent and integrated citizens. “Social coexistence is fundamental for this”.
“The project was born to put Gabriel in contact with people like him. My motivation was that he could see himself in the other,” explains Patricia, who since 2010 divides her time between classrooms as an English teacher and the social project. The first activities, in fact, were those where she taught Patricia. “I just needed them to open school for a few hours on Saturdays. The rest was up to me.”
Over time, other schools have opened their doors and provided their fields and sports equipment so that the project could offer activities with young people. “All we need is a space, which can be a courtyard or a room. That’s it,” says Patricia. You underline the importance of Atende + – the free transport service for people with physical disabilities of the Municipality of São Paulo – for the functioning of the project, whose meetings do not have a fixed frequency.
“I’ve always believed that to change the world you don’t have to do anything too big. All it takes is a little change of attitude. And Vidas was my way of showing it to myself and others,” he says.
‘The main change happened in me’
In the 12 years at the helm of Vidas, he estimates that more than 250 children and adolescents have benefited. Among them, Gabriel himself, who joined the social organization led by his mother. “My motivation was to make a change in Gabriel’s life, but the main change ended up in me.”
In addition to the children and adolescents participating in the project, the actions of Vidas are also reflected in their families. “Many mothers will accompany their children, so it was important to think of an activity for them,” she points out.
Parallel to the educational accompaniment of their children, mothers participate in programs aimed at them, such as craft workshops, theater, music, discussion groups and exchanges of experiences. “I have always been able to provide Gabriel with the best equipment and treatment he needed and I have learned a lot from living with mothers who do not have the same universe as me.”
Today, at 21, Gabriel is in his 5th semester of Psychology and has chosen his mother’s social organization for his first internship. Patricia recognizes the effects of the project on the lives of the children served, but especially on Gabriel’s. “I believe that, living with people like him, Gabriel has changed his way of looking at others and himself. It is the feeling of belonging.”
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Source: Terra
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
