Climbing
Be inspired by this guy climbing above the favelas
Hoping to help kids get out of these impoverished areas, Andrew Lenz taught them rock climbing.
Climbing above the favelas of Rio in the sunshine is a dream location for many. American Andrew Lenz gets to climb there every day, as part of his work on Escalada Urbana – an urban climbing school he set up to promote fitness to the young people living in the favelas below.
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See Andrew’s climbing project high above Rio
3 min
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Get to know one of the projects selected for Amaphiko Academy 2015, in Sao Paulo.
Andrew has seen that climbing is a sport for the elite in Rio, so the kids living in Rocinha, the largest favela neighbourhood in the city, don’t get a chance.
He has changed that, and has given the youngsters taking part a sport to keep them healthy, and promote confidence.
The children from the Rocinha favela learn rock climbing
Climbing high above a Rio favela
© Andrew Lenz/Escalada Urbana
Andrew says: “The benefits that climbing offers are many and diverse, and they are different for each person. If you are afraid of climbing, but you manage to overcome it, you can also get this same courage and apply it to other places in your life.”
He has big plans for the project, hoping to expand into other areas, hire more staff and build a permanent, indoor climbing wall.
“The benefits that climbing offers are many and diverse.”
– Andrew Lenz
Admiring the Rio view
© Andrew Lenz/Escalada Urbana
One student, Caio César, has made progress since joining: “Then Andrew showed up and asked if I would like to climb and I said 'yes'. Oh at first it caused me a lot of fear, because I was afraid of heights, but after some time, I gained confidence and now I’m here.”
Andrew also hopes that by doing his small bit for his local society, he’s part of a bigger change. He explains: “I think that if we do a little bit for each other, have more solidarity with our neighbours, we help to minimise this imbalance that the world is experiencing today.”
Andrew Lenz took part in the Red Bull Amaphiko Academy in Sao Paolo in December along with another 14 of Brazil’s most inspiring social change makers, discover more about them and their projects here.