Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - To encourage the practice of sports among kids, the president of the Puerto Vallarta Municipal DIF System, Candelaria Tovar de Dávalos, recently delivered 140 sports packages to the same number of children from different neighborhoods in the municipality who are part of the Directorate for Child Protection's Sports Program (DPI).

"From here will come our future athletes, footballers and basketball players. We want them all to have the same opportunities and, through this program, we want them to learn and develop their skills to the fullest," said the first lady.

She went on to explain that the city's Sports Program was reactivated two and a half months ago, when the resources to acquire uniforms, shoes and sports articles for children ages 7 to 17 were obtained, thanks to the efforts made by the DPI to make this project part of the DIF Jalisco Situación de Calle ("Street Situation") program.

"The DIF family is committed to our children. Parents, we want to support you in strengthening our children's values, such as friendship, commitment and respect, because that is how we will forge adults who are responsible for themselves and their surroundings. We hope, through the sports and other DIF programs, to distance our children from the dangers that we, as parents, know," said Candelaria Tovar.

Currently, the sports coordinator, Martín Venegas, works in Colonias Magisterio, Volcanes, Mojoneras, Campestre las Palmas, Coapinole, Vista Océano and Barrio Santa María, offering soccer training to each group of children once a week. Later, he will organize a lightning tournament between these 7 teams.

In addition, after the three months of soccer training, the kids will be taught basketball and other athletic disciplines so that inter-colonia competitions can be organized for these sports as well.

Accompanying the president of DIF during the delivery of sports packages were: the director of the organization, David de la Rosa; the head of the Directorate for Child Protection, Alma González; the coordinator of Sports, Martín Venegas, and a little girl named Abigail, who was representing all of the young athletes in Puerto Vallarta who will benefit from this new program.