Beneficiaries of the social sports schools in Cambodia visit Ciudad Real Madrid
The inclusive project is being carried out in the Battambang region in collaboration with the NGO Sauce and the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang.
A group of beneficiaries from the social sports schools that the Real Madrid Foundation operates in Cambodia, along with a delegation from the NGO Sauce, visited the Ciudad Real Madrid during a very special day. For many of them, this experience represents the opportunity to discover a reality with which they have maintained a connection for years through the social sports projects that the Foundation develops in the Battambang region in collaboration with the NGO Sauce and the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang.
During the visit, participants toured some of the most iconic spaces of the Ciudad Real Madrid. Beyond getting to know world-class facilities, the day served to put a face to the impact that sport can generate when it becomes a tool for inclusion, education, and personal development.
Meeting with the first team
One of the most special moments of the visit was the meeting with the first-team players. The beneficiaries of the Foundation's social sports schools in Cambodia had the opportunity to greet them during their visit to the Ciudad Real Madrid, experiencing an unforgettable moment.
A unique project
The social sports schools in Cambodia are one of the most unique projects of the Real Madrid Foundation on an international level. Currently, the program includes three schools that contribute to the comprehensive development of children and young people in vulnerable situations through sport and education. Additionally, these are the Foundation's first inclusive schools in Asia and the first basketball social sports school for wheelchair users developed outside of Spain.
Tahen and La Paloma
Since 2015, the football schools in Tahen and La Paloma have been offering educational and sports opportunities to children from vulnerable communities. The Tahen school operates in a public secondary education center where young people from the community and students from remote villages, who reside during the school year at the parish led by Monsignor Enrique Figaredo, participate. Meanwhile, the La Paloma school serves children in foster care and children and young people with disabilities, many of whom are affected by polio or victims of landmine accidents.
In 2025, the project expanded its reach with the launch of a wheelchair basketball school in Battambang, aimed entirely at participants with disabilities. This initiative reinforced the innovative and inclusive nature of a program that seeks to ensure that all children, regardless of their circumstances, can access the educational benefits of sports.
Comprehensive development
Beyond sports activities, the schools offer academic support, computer and English classes, educational scholarships, nutritional support, workshops on gender equality and healthy habits, as well as artistic activities that complement the participants' education and foster their comprehensive development.
The visit to the Ciudad Real Madrid highlighted the journey of these young people and the work carried out for over a decade in Cambodia, demonstrating how sport can create opportunities and support children from diverse contexts on their path toward a future with more possibilities.
Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.