Instituto Reação in Rio de Janeiro is focusing on turning needy children from the slums into judo champions. “In the beginning, we give these children a helping hand. After a while we stop. We don’t want to get an ippon”.
An ippon is the highest score a contestant in judo can win by throwing an opponent on his/her back, pinning an opponent with his/her back touching the mat for 25 seconds, applying such a hold to the arm that causes the player receiving the action to submit, or strangling the opponent to induce a submission.
“Our students deal daily with poverty and violence, but keep your pity to their adversaries.”
Credits
The Slums to Judo champions campaign was developed at Contemporanea, Rio de Janeiro, by creative director Mauro Matos, copywriter Daniel Japa, art directors Fabiano Pinel and Bernardo Romero, with photography by Studio do Cais and illustration by Otavio Rios.