Why I Believe in Lifted: A Message from Barrinha Kite School, Ceará

By Romain Guibard, Founder of Barrinha Kite School

Eight years ago, four kids showed up at the beach wanting to learn kiteboarding. Their names were Clarice, Airton, Robbie and Netim. My business partner and I looked at each other and knew: maybe they’d be better off with us.

Why? Because we know what happens when they don’t have something to hold on to.

In Ceará, about 27.5% of young people aged 15–29 are neither studying nor working — a generation caught in limbo. More than 75,000 children and teens were found working in 2023, many in coastal or rural areas, and nearly 1 in 5 teens in Cruz (near Barrinha) are in child labor. Drug use and gang recruitment start early. The largest gang in the state, Guardiões do Estado, has been known to recruit kids as young as 13. In fact, over 80% of homicides in Ceará involve individuals linked to gangs, which disproportionately prey on impoverished youth.

Against this backdrop, kite schools like Barrinha become more than a sport — they become a shield.

We made a simple deal with these kids. If they helped clean the beach, we’d teach them how to kite. One big bag of rubbish earned them an hour of lessons. That’s how it started — trading trash for time on the water.

Fast forward to today, and three of those same kids now work with me at Barrinha Kite School.

They’ve grown into riders, instructors, and community anchors. But not every story had a fairytale ending.

Three years ago, Netim — Robbie’s little brother — took another path. He drifted into drugs. We tried, truly. But we can’t save everyone. His story was a reminder: we can do so much more — but only if we have the right structure.

Because here’s what I’ve seen time and time again: these kids are incredibly talented. When you give them the tools, they go all in. When they have access to gear, to training, to mentorship — they thrive. They’re motivated, they’re driven, and they understand what kiteboarding can offer them. For many, it’s the only thing within reach right now.

I’ve been paid for kite lessons with lobsters, shrimps, and fish. I’ve spent my own money on gear and ABK certifications. I don’t regret a cent — but I can’t keep doing this alone. I can’t ask my clients to fill that gap. It’s too big. My role is small. What we need now is something bigger.

That’s why I believe in Lifted.

Lifted is exactly the kind of structure we’ve been missing. It provides a system — to train riders, to fund travel for competitions, to cover gear costs, to support education and certification like the IKO/ABK, and to build real pathways for long-term success.

This isn’t just about becoming athletes. It’s about becoming leaders. It’s about giving them real options — not just escaping poverty, but transforming their communities.

If you believe in kiteboarding not just as a sport, but as a tool for change — please, support Lifted.

We have so much talent here in Ceará. You wouldn’t believe it until you see it. And I’m only talking about this one state, this one corner of Brazil. Imagine what we could do if we all worked together, if we all supported a system designed to uplift and empower on a global scale.

The kids need you. I need you. We need you.

Thank you.

— Romain GuibardOwner of Barrinha Kite School, Ceará, Brazil