The Kapacidade Institute

On 2007 Christmas, Kyra Gracie, in a social action, has visited the Santa Clara Family organization, in Vargem Grande, bringing toys, clothes and care for the children on care. At this moment, together with her uncle Ryan, the jiu-jitsu four time world champion had the
idea to offer classes of the "gentle art" for the 70 kids who have been living over there.

In 2008, after Ryan´s passing and Kyra´s return to Brazil, the athlete felt that it was time to begin to make the dream she had with her uncle to  come truth, giving back everything the sport has given to her. On that year´s carnival, among customs, the kids of Santa Clara
community received a small kimono and the opportunity to follow new paths, learning the gentle art with a world champion.

Kyra´s aspirations found resonance on his friend´s aspiration, the business man Bruno Neves, who on the beginning of the 90´s had already been acted promoting citizenship to families on extreme poverty conditions, on the Vila Amizade community, at Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighbourhood.

The social work have always been present on Bruno´s life. Since early age he had the awareness that each citizen could spontaneously contribute for the inclusion of marginal people on society. In 2009 he was invited to know  the non-govermental organization Ação Social Frei Gaspar, in Vargem Grande, and, once there, saw the necessity to begin a social work. Immediatly he felt the opportunity to leverage the project that for 20 years the was feeding inside, and help, on an effective way, that children in need. A jiu-jitsu practitioner himself, he saw on the sport the best way to make the dream come true.

In 2010, as a result of the partnership between Kyra and Bruno, the non-profit organization Instituto Kapacidade has come to life, to teach jiu-jitsu to the children in need of Vargem Grande. Using the sport as its main tool, the work being done aims to educate and empower the children, and at the same time rescue their self-esteem. Today, more than 150 children take part on the project.

"Sport teaches lessons such as respect, discipline, and competitiveness, and is an important medium for character building and citizen promotion", explains Bruno. " more than champions on the mat,s we want to form champions for life", Kyra completes.