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Dreams of Soccer and Boxing in Ecuador's Afro-Communities

IN PICTURES: Most Afro-descendant communities in Latin America settled next to the ocean or waters that surround the region. In Ecuador, there is a place in the middle of the mountains where Africans were brought to work in mines and sugar cane plantations after Indigenous populations died from disease and maltreatment at the hands of Europeans.  

El Valle del Chota in northern Ecuador has the country's second highest population of afro-Ecuadorians after the coastal province of Esmeraldas.

This valley has become famous over the past three decades for producing a number of accomplished and world-renowned boxers and soccer players who have helped various international teams and leagues to win boxing and soccer championships.

Some of the most important soccer players in Ecuador are from Chota.

Even with all these great male athletes state support, private investment, and education in the region are still highly lacking. Boy and young men here look at sports as the only way of helping their families to fight poverty.

Nowadays these communities face many struggles for water, poverty, illegal traffic with Colombia. They are fighting (and playing) to improve the conditions in their community.

 

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Soccer players practice in the morning in El Valle del Chota
Soccer players practice in the morning in El Valle del Chota Photo:TeleSUR English
Young soccer players gather before a morning practice. 'Juncal' is a town within the Valley, which sits along the Panamerican highway and along the River Chota
Young soccer players gather before a morning practice. 'Juncal' is a town within the Valley, which sits along the Panamerican highway and along the River Chota Photo:TeleSUR English
A woman washes her clothes in the Chota River just below the Panamerican highway. Poverty and lack of government investment make the Valley one of the poorest areas of Ecuador.
A woman washes her clothes in the Chota River just below the Panamerican highway. Poverty and lack of government investment make the Valley one of the poorest areas of Ecuador. Photo:TeleSUR English
The youth from El Valley del Chota dance during a Carnaval concert
The youth from El Valley del Chota dance during a Carnaval concert Photo:TeleSUR English
Young soccer players run around the field to warm up for practice in the valley. The region now home to some 20,000 Ecuadoreans was once controlled by seven plantations that together owned over 2,000 slaves.
Young soccer players run around the field to warm up for practice in the valley. The region now home to some 20,000 Ecuadoreans was once controlled by seven plantations that together owned over 2,000 slaves. Photo:TeleSUR English
Boxing training in el Valle del Chota.
Boxing training in el Valle del Chota. Photo:TeleSUR English
Kids hoping to become the next Ulises Hernan de la Cruz who grew up in the Valley and played for various international teams and the Ecuadorean World Cup team in 2006.
Kids hoping to become the next Ulises Hernan de la Cruz who grew up in the Valley and played for various international teams and the Ecuadorean World Cup team in 2006. Photo:TeleSUR English
Published 28 February 2018
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