FMT in partnership with The Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT) brings you a Covid-19 “healer” from Uruguay.

Cecilia Profumo, a Uruguayan rugby coach, has made it her life’s mission to teach rugby and its values to children living in vulnerable neighbourhoods.

In 2017, she started Escuelita de Rugby Inclusivo, a rugby school in Montevideo’s Nueva España neighbourhood.

The school quickly evolved into a community centre, helping to fill basic needs that were missing in the community. It provides afterschool lessons to help children with their homework, offers arts classes, and provides classes for new mothers.

But the pandemic has hit Cecilia’s community hard, and social distancing meant the centre has not been able to function as normal. So Cecilia switched gears.

She now helps out in an “olla popular” (soup kitchen) to provide meals for over 120 families. There, she and other volunteers cook nutritious meals using donated ingredients and distribute them to those waiting in line for their daily hot meal.

Cecilia has also opened up two “merenderos”, informal spaces where children can get meals and snacks.

Deborah Elenter was born in Montevideo in 1978. She is a photographer and a chemical engineer with a master’s in environmental engineering. Her art has been presented at various venues and has received local and international recognition. Her most recent project, Puerpera, reflects childbirth experiences and is exhibited at the Uruguayan Contemporary Art Museum. Recently, Deborah published “Osher”, a photobook on death and grief. Visit her profile here.

‘The Other Hundred Healers’ is an initiative by the non-profit organisation GIFT. The 240-page, full-colour, hardcover book can be purchased here at US$40 per copy for a minimum order of 20 copies.