Investing in social projects is one way a company can contribute to the sustainable development of the planet. With this thought in mind, Magneti Marelli has become a sponsor for the CRIA (Regional Centre for the Start in Athletics) project in the Brazilian city of Lavras, home to Magneti Marelli’s largest shock absorber plant in the entire world.
CRIA was founded in 2010 as the athletics start group of the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA). In addition to stimulating and coaching children and adolescents in practicing athletics, the project also helps them access university programmes through the granting of scholarships. One of the requirements to participate in the project is a good academic record and attendance in school tutoring offered by the same university’s students. At present, CRIA involves 450 youngsters from Lavras and surrounding areas.
The athletes’ first results after the partnership was announced have certainly been encouraging: they won the team title in the Brazilian championship Caixa Interclubes, a national competition held this past July. All eyes were on the athlete Jenifer Nicole, who beat the Brazilian record in the Heptathlon and the competition record in the high jump. The team’s conquering of the title led the Brazilian Athletic Confederation (CBAt) to approve the CRIA project, which aims at discovering new talents in sports.