In memory of Vicente Iraizoz
On the 6th of March, we received the news that Vicente Iraizoz had left us forever. A friend and worker of Red Deporte for five intense years, he died in Senegal while doing what he loved most: working on behalf of the most vulnerable communities in the countries that are most in need.
Vicente began working for Red Deporte in 2008 when he was involved in several of our organization’s projects. His first assignment was in Rwanda and Goma (The Democratic Republic of the Congo). While there, he carried out a task that would later be decisive in the development of the Boscolac program, which had a huge impact on young refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Afterwards, he went to work in Zambia for two years. He took part in organizing multiple championships and educational days, he managed the construction of a sports centre, he identified new projects, and he registered Red Deporte as a Zambian institution amongst other activities.
Vicente then spent several months in Mozambique, where he managed the construction of a Red Deporte sports centre in Inharrime and a home that we also built to house 70 homeless girls.
Later he spent time in Goma, where he managed to complete a building project of a home for 25 refugee children, a sports centre, a food distribution program, a sports education program, construction and mobilization of a medical dispensary, and a psychiatric clinic. He coordinated the joint construction of wells, improved access to the lake area, and pushed a program for reconciling victims of war in the African Great Lakes region.
His final assignment with Red Deporte was in El Salvador, where he coordinated another sports project in Santa Ana aimed at using sports and education to prevent young people joining the maras or gangs that are so devastating there. In El Salvador, he coordinated the construction of a sports centre and a whole educational and social program through sport.
Red Deporte is extremely thankful that Vicente was a part of this NGO. We will always remember an excellent person who did many good things for the thousands of children and young people who we’re working for. From Red Deporte, we pass on our most sincere condolences to his family. Goodbye Vicente, partner and friend.
