My

Story

Maria

Fernanda

My name is Maria Fernanda, I was born in Barranquilla but grew up and have lived my whole life in Piojo. I have brothers and sisters who were also raised here. I completed both high school and a technical degree in pharmaceutics, which is quite different from my current role as a community coach.

I started my journey as a coach with Fútbol con Corazón in a project focused on empowerment and development. The first time that I showed up in one of their sessions was about three years ago. I wasn’t originally going to be part of the first Young Coach Education in 2022, but I stepped in for a colleague who couldn’t attend. One key lesson I took from that experience was about inclusion. Not all the kids who play the sport come from the same circumstances, so inclusion became something I learned to value deeply. That is something so important about playing football – to promote inclusion.

Football is the sport everyone plays here; and it’s a great way to train and manage emotions. It acts as a motivator that helps children take control of their lives. No matter what happens at home, they can bring their setbacks and challenges to the field. If there’s a problem at home, they can express their feelings here on the pitch. This helps them manage their feelings, which is especially important in my community, where we face many challenges.

In this sense, my role is more of an intermediary to help deal with their issues. The children confide in me and trust me enough to share their personal stories. In these situations it is important to listen, to be attentive and keep the trust by keeping the information the children share with me. When I then post our work online, I often receive supportive messages like “the best trainer in the world,” which is incredibly motivating.

During the Follow-up Education, I learned the importance of flexibility and adaptation. At one of the fun festivals, it rained, and the conditions on the pitch weren’t ideal. Despite the rain, we had to figure out how to adapt, make it work, and be resourceful. This is something I’m bringing back to my community: in the face of adversity, we won’t see it as a failure or give up. Instead, we’ll look for the resources we have, assess the situation, and find ways to turn it into a success.