Every year, one hundred children and young people between the ages of six and sixteen pass through the doors of the Spartak San Gennaro association. Coming from difficult neighborhoods and families with limited economic resources, these young people find in this small sports organization not only a soccer field, but a safe place to socialize and make new friends. Spartak San Gennaro, located in the heart of Montesanto, has become a true home for many less fortunate young Neapolitans.
Behind this undertaking are the strong support of Luigi Volpe and a group of passionate volunteers who don't want to leave the children alone. To ensure the continuity of the association, Spartak members contribute their own money to keep this organization afloat. However, they are not alone in their "mission." Many, over time, have learned about their work and support them through donations and crowdfunding campaigns. Among these supporters is actor Gianfranco Gallo, who has chosen to donate part of the proceeds from his books and performances to the association. "We are very grateful to Gianfranco and to all those who help us support the children who come to our door ," said Volpe.
Support has also come from several city councilors, both former and current, such as Rosario Andreozzi and Sergio D'Angelo, who have contributed with personal donations. These funds allow Spartak San Gennaro to provide the boys with uniforms, cleats, and backpacks and to participate in various soccer initiatives in Italy. "On these activities and materials alone, we spend around €13.000 a year ," Volpe explains.
Despite the project's success, Spartak San Gennaro continues to struggle with structural problems. The main obstacle is the lack of a suitable soccer field. The association was denied access to the Lieti field in Capodimonte, despite having won a municipal tender. The reason? The field had not been made accessible by the city administration. For this reason, Luigi Volpe and other representatives of the association, along with mothers and children, peacefully protested in front of the City Council during a session where a resolution regarding the management of the Lieti field was to be voted on.
"We're simply asking the City Council to provide adequate spaces for the children to play and develop initiatives that combine sport and legality. The City Council must not abandon children from less fortunate backgrounds ," Volpe said. Currently, the association is making do as best it can, having the children train on a small asphalt field inside the "Scugnizzo Liberato" facility, a former juvenile prison converted into a social space. "We've installed goals and secured the area, but the field is small and made of asphalt ," Volpe explains.
