Judo is transforming lives in São Tomé and Príncipe – help us keep going!

Judo is changing lives in São Tomé and Príncipe. With your support, we can continue this mission! Contribute and be part of the transformation.

In São Tomé and Príncipe, judo is not just a sport — it is a true tool for social transformation.

Since 2016, the Judo Global Association has impacted the lives of hundreds of children and young people, promoting values such as respect, discipline, resilience and self-confidence. We operate in several communities, both on the island of São Tomé and on the island of Príncipe, with judo schools accessible to children from the age of 4.

With few resources, but with a lot of dedication and passion, we achieved extraordinary results:

• We were officially recognized as a Judo Federation;

• We have tripled the number of practitioners in the last 3 years;

• We participated in international competitions for the first time;

• And for the first time in history , São Tomé and Príncipe had a judoka — Roldeney Oliveira — representing the country at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games !

But to continue on this path, we need your help.

This campaign aims to raise €5,000 in 30 days to:

✅ Buy essential equipment such as tatamis and judogis;

✅ Support travel between São Tomé and Príncipe for athletes and coaches;

✅ Maintain and improve our school’s main building in Príncipe;

✅ Strengthen the training of coaches and volunteers.

If you believe that sport can be a force for positive change, now is the time to be a part of that change . Your contribution, no matter how small, can ensure that more children have access to a safe, educational and transformative environment through judo.

🎥 Watch our story told by RTP África in the program “Pérolas do Oceano”:

🙏 Join us!
Make your donation, share the campaign and follow our journey on social media with the hashtag #JudoSTP .

Let's continue to transform lives together. One fall at a time. One dream at a time. One ippon at a time.

Entrega do cinto amarelo pelo instrutor Nelson à Yanira

About the author

My name is André Rosa and I am the founder of the Global Judo Association of São Tomé and Príncipe. I am also a coach, social project manager and passionate about everything that judo represents — on and off the mat.

I started this project in 2016, on the island of Príncipe, with a small group of children, some donated judogis and a huge desire to make a difference. I believed — and still believe — that judo is much more than a sport: it is a school of life. It teaches us to fall, to get up, to respect others and to fight with dignity for our goals.

Over the years, with the support of volunteers, partners and the community, we have managed to grow and reach more children and young people, both in Príncipe and São Tomé and even in Portugal, where we have a school using our methodology. Our work has been recognized nationally and internationally, and today we are proud to say that we are members of the International Judo Federation, the African Judo Union and the Olympic Committee of São Tomé and Príncipe.

We have already managed to take athletes to international competitions and, in 2024, for the first time, we had a São Tomé judoka at the Olympic Games!

But to continue this mission, we need resources and allies. This crowdfunding campaign is another step towards ensuring that judo continues to transform lives in São Tomé and Príncipe.

If you've made it this far, thank you. It means you care. And maybe together we can make something beautiful.

I'm counting on you!

Aula de judo

Budget and due dates

The funds raised in this campaign (€5,000) will be invested directly in strengthening our judo project in São Tomé and Príncipe. Below, we present the expected budget distribution and the estimated dates for implementation:

Detailed Budget:

• 🥋 Purchase of 25 judogis and belts for children and youth – €1,000
  (For needy students on the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe)

• ✈️ Inter-island travel (São Tomé ↔ Príncipe) for monitors and coaches – €1,000
  (For joint training, internships and training)

• 🧑‍🏫 Support for organizing training for new coaches and monitors – €1,000
  (Trainer's fees, logistics and materials)

• 🏠 Improvements to training spaces – €1,500
  (Painting, minor repairs and purchase of cleaning and organization materials)

• 📦 Margin for unforeseen events and logistics management costs – €500

Schedule:

• April 2025
  Inauguration of the Global Judo School in the Nova Estrela Community, in the Autonomous Region of Príncipe.

• May 2025
  Acquisition of judogis and cleaning/organization materials. Start of improvement works on dojos in São Tomé and Príncipe.

• November 2025
  Training for new judo instructors with support from an international trainer and issuing of certificates.

• December 2025
  Carrying out the first inter-island internship with coaches and athletes from the various schools of the Association.

This plan is the result of listening closely to the community and the real needs identified on the ground. We want to make every euro count and every gesture of support transform lives.

If you have any questions or would like to follow the implementation, we will share updates on our Association's social networks.

Thank you for being part of this journey!

Images

Documents

• Relatório de atividades e financeiro 2024, Plano de atividades e Orçamento 2025

  pdf • 3.22 MB