Move Back
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In this May 21, 2015 photo, Wesley Mario, right, and Loran de Almeida, both 13, walk back to Rocinha slum after surfing at Sao Conrado beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We bring children who have nothing to do to the beach, its the most democratic place there is, where they can feel at ease, says Ricadro Ramos, who created the Rocinha Surf School two decades ago. They dont even need to pay anything to be here. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__1_]()
A young bodyboarder from Rocinha watches the waves before surfing at Sao Conrado beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, July 1, 2015. Everyday barefoot boys hustle down the inclined alleyways of the Rio de Janeiro slums they call home, surf boards under their arms. They head to nearby Sao Conrado or Arpoador beach, where they catch waves and momentarily leave their impoverished lives behind. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__3_]()
In this June 10, 2015 photo, Magno Neves dives with his board at Arpoador beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Neves, a 23-year-old from the Cantagalo slum, surfs nearly every day at the nearby Arpoador beach. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__18_]()
Cristiano Gomes 'Xuxu' leaves Rocinha slum on his way to Sao Conrado beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, May 21, 2015. Before he learned how to surf at the school, his life was pretty bad, he says. He would juggle for spare change from motorists at the busy highway intersection at the base of the Rocinha shantytown. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__2_]()
In this June 10, 2015 photo, Magno Neves surfs at Arpoador beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Neves, a 23-year-old from the Cantagalo slum, surfs nearly every day at the nearby Arpoador beach. He discovered the sport at age 8 after a surf teacher spotted him skateboarding in the slum and taught him how to surf. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__5_]()
In this May 21, 2015 photo, Christian da Conceicao, 11, shows a signed polaroid photo of him and friends with U.S. surfer John John Florence at Sao Conrado beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Everyday barefoot boys hustle down the inclined alleyways of the Rio de Janeiro slums they call home, surf boards under their arms. They head to nearby Sao Conrado or Arpoador beach, where they catch waves and momentarily leave their impoverished lives behind. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__6_]()
In this June 10, 2015 photo, Magno Neves walks in an alley in the Cantagalo slum on his way to the nearby Arpoador beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. My dream until today is to be a pro surfer, said Neves, who works as a dog-walker to make ends meet. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__8_]()
In this May 21, 2015 photo, young surfers from the Rocinha slum enter the water at Sao Conrado beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Everyday barefoot boys hustle down the inclined alleyways of the Rio de Janeiro slums they call home, surf boards under their arms. They head to nearby Sao Conrado or Arpoador beach, where they catch waves and momentarily leave their impoverished lives behind. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__7_]()
Robert Silva watches as boards are repaired at the Rocinha Surf Association headquarters in the Rocinha slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 2, 2015. Along with free surf boards and clothes, kids are taught how to maintain and fix their gear. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__9_]()
In this May 21, 2015 photo, young surfers from the Rocinha slum watches the waves before surfing at Sao Conrado beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Everyday barefoot boys hustle down and head to nearby Sao Conrado or Arpoador beach, where they catch waves and momentarily leave their impoverished lives behind. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__11_]()
Rocinha Surf Association, ASR, teacher Carlos Belo, center, exercises young students before entering the water at Sao Conrado brach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 2, 2015. ASR founder Marcio da Silva sees it as a social project, "We rescue the youth from inside the community, taking them to the beach to teach them the sport while at the same time socializing them" he says. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__10_]()
Robert Silva poses for a photo while fixing his board at the Rocinha Surf Association headquarters at Rocinha slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 2, 2015. Along with free surf boards and clothes, kids are taught how to maintain and fix their gear. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__13_]()
In this May 21, 2015 photo, Gabriel de Lima, 13, stretches before surfing at Sao Conrado beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Not long ago, many of these kids were begging on the streets or engaged in crime, but two surf schools serving youth from Rios largest slum, Rocinha, have helped change that. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__14_]()
In this May 21, 2015 photo, Gabriel Santos walks with his board after surfing at Sao Conrado beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Not long ago, many of these kids were begging on the streets or engaged in crime, but two surf schools serving youth from Rios largest slum, Rocinha, have helped change that. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__15_]()
Young bodyboarders from Rocinha joke with each other as they run towards the water at Sao Conrado brach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, July 1, 2015. The youngest boys use pink, yellow and neon green bodyboards of foam, while the kids in their early teens strap leashes from their short, sturdier surfboards to their ankles before gleefully heading into the water. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__12_]()
Marcio Pereira da Silva, right, founder of the Rocinha Surf Association, ASR, is helped by young surfers as they store boards at their headquarters at Rocinha slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 2, 2015. ASR has given free lessons to over 2,000 children from Rios shantytowns in the hopes of keeping the boys, who are mostly in their early teens and a few girls occupied by the sport and off the streets. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__16_]()
Boards stand lined up at the Rocinha Surf Association, ASR, headquarters at Rocinha slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 2, 2015. ASR has given free lessons to over 2,000 children from Rios shantytowns in the hopes of keeping the boys, who are mostly in their early teens and a few girls occupied by the sport and off the streets. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__17_]()
Rafael Silva, second right, and Joao Pedro Alves, second left, prepare their surd board at the Rocinha Surf Association headquarters at Rocinha slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 2, 2015. Along with free surf boards and clothes, kids are taught how to maintain and fix their gear. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)![Brazil_Slum_Surfing__20_]()
Rocinha Surf Association, ASR, teacher Carlos Belo, right, instruct young students before entering the water at Sao Conrado brach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, July 2, 2015. ASR founder Marcio da Silva sees it as a social project, "We rescue the youth from inside the community, taking them to the beach to teach them the sport while at the same time socializing them" he says. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)Rio's youth find an escape from the favelas through surfing
Marcio da Silva founded the Rocinha Surf Association a few years back and hundreds of kids have gone through his school, which he funds through donations and by doing some repair work on surf boards.
Move Forward
- Rio's youth find an escape from the favelas through surfing
