A fighting chance: the social enterprise leaving a legacy of hope to Rio's youth

In 2000, a small boxing club in Rio de Janeiro named Luta Pela Paz (Fight for Peace) opened its doors in the favela community of Complexo da Marè as a place for youths to escape drugs, guns and victimisation. Founder of Luta, Luke Dowdney MBE is pictured here with participants from the favela.

Fight for Peace works directly with 2,500 young people a year at its academies in Rio and London and via its Global Alumni programme has supported organisations in 20 countries.

Pictured in black is França Watson, 30 who lives in Complexo da Maré. He has been a wrestling athlete at Luta for eight years.

This image, of two Luta participants, was used on a billboard inside the favela, with the text: ‘Champion in the ring, champion in life – Join Fight For Peace and be a champion too!’ The advert elevated the young boys to heroes of the favela, according to Luta.

Here, two young people from the Fight for Peace academy in the Complexo Da Mare favela, pose for the camera.

Over the next three years Fight for Peace plans to train and support 120 organisations across the world helping a total of 110,000 young people.

LUTA Sportswear was created with help from professional athletes and top sportswear designers to bring funds into the organisation.

Young people from Fight for Peace, such as Shakeela, are regularly invited to model for the brand. Shakeela, from London, is a former participant who now works for Luta, helping other young people find employment.

Lee Selby, WBC International, British and Commonwealth featherweight champion has long been an ambassador for Luta and Fight for Peace.

Selby is one of a number of high profile boxers to have been an advocate of Luta. He trains at Bristol City Boxing Club, which is part of the Fight for Peace alumni.

New York boxers Luis Collazo and Frank Galarza train at the Strarret City Boxing Club in Brooklyn – another alumni partner of Luta and Fight for Peace.

Luke Dowdney rallies his team. He says he was inspired to set up Luta by some of the 130,000 residents of Complexo de Marè who are faced with daily hardships but "stand tall in their quest to become champions".

Photographs: Mike Tinney/Luta

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