Emmanuela Oliveira 
In general, practicing sports, forming athletes who dedicate their lives to their careers, is often the solution for young people without prospects for a better future. With Jiu-Jitsu, although it still doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, it’s no different. Délio Lima, an advocate of Arte Suave in Salvador, Bahia, is the ideal person to talk about the transformative potential of the modality in the lives of children and young people in vulnerable situations.
In an interview with VF Comunica, Délio, now a graduate in public management, law student and Jiu-Jitsu black-belt, told how he transformed a modest Jiu-Jitsu project into an effective instrument for changing several lives, including his own.
“It all started in a small garage, here in the Valéria neighborhood, on the periphery of Salvador. The space was provided by a resident but, after a year, the house was sold and we had to leave. Unable to pay rent or charge monthly fees, the solution I found was to put the mat on the street. We organized a ‘feijoada’, saved money and bought our first mat. At that time, in the garage, we trained on a mat with a tarp over it. So, the achievement was huge. The street became our new dojo and the community, our family. There were many difficulties: lack of structure, sun, rain, everything tested our perseverance, but the dream of transforming lives through Jiu-Jitsu drove us.”, he relives, in detail, the reality of the beginning of it all.
Délio’s journey in Jiu-Jitsu began with the encouragement of a friend, a blue-belt in the sport. The hard training with him encouraged Délio to continue in that fascinating world of fighting that he had never known before. Through his friend, he met Gustavo Assis, who introduced young Délio to the more solid and technical part of Jiu-Jitsu. In the search for improvement over the years, Délio earned his black-belt, tied around his waist by master Ricardo Carvalho, with whom he maintains training sessions to this day.
Support from sponsors was essential for the project’s longevity
Over time, while trying to establish the project in the unusual terrain of the streets of Salvador, Délio Lima greatly valued the support he received during the journey. His initiative, which did not weaken in the face of adversity, captivated partners who, with adequate support, enabled the project to move forward with even bigger steps.
“Rodrigo Minotauro, Gustavo Dantas, Exclusive Jiu-Jitsu and Jiu-Jitsu na Estrada were supporters who helped us make this dream come true. I remember with emotion the day we received 70 kimonos from Koral. The children’s joy was contagious. We cried with happiness, because the generosity of Exclusive Jiu-Jitsu provided us with something that seemed impossible. Master Gustavo Dantas, from Tribe Jiu-Jitsu, was also essential in making one of our biggest dreams come true: taking a student to compete outside of Bahia. Melquisedeque Moura, from our project, became a champion in Abu Dhabi, showing that the periphery is also a source of talent. Jiu-Jitsu na Estrada made a video here on the project that went viral and reached all those friends I mentioned above. Without their help, it would be impossible to continue.”, he reveals, recognizing that, despite the excess of will, we are not always able to conceive transformations alone.
The athlete mentioned by Délio, Melquisedeque Moura, is today a Jiu-Jitsu purple-belt under the instructions of Rodrigo Feijão, a black-belt who teaches classes in Maringá, Paraná, and trainer of champions such as the brothers Diego and Alex Sodré. Introduced to Jiu-Jitsu on the outskirts of Bahia, at the hands of Délio, Melquisedeque today has, in addition to the AJP Tour World Pro title, the Sul-Americano gold medal and third place in the No Gi Worlds, both from the IBJJF, one of the most popular grappling tournaments in the world.
Délio Lima’s life also transformed after dedicating himself fully to Jiu-Jitsu
In addition to feeling active in the lives of young people educated on the mat, Délio Lima found himself in a participatory place within society itself. A position that put him in front of doors, such as coordinating a sports complex, that would never have been opened if it weren’t for Jiu-Jitsu.
“Jiu-Jitsu not only gave me incredible moments, but it also gave me the opportunity to contribute to my community. In the recent past, I was unemployed, teaching on the street and dreaming of a better future. Today, I am the coordinator of a sports complex and I can expand the scope of the project and offer various sports, psychological care, access to the library, theater and much more. It is the realization of a dream that began in a garage with an improvised mat. With each achievement, I remember the difficulties overcome and the strength of the community that embraced us. My mission now is to take this project to other communities, as I believe that Jiu-Jitsu has the power to change lives and build a more positive future for children and teenagers from the periphery.”, he concludes, still committed to the mission of inspiring and proving that the world can be a better place.
