Chelsea midfielder Deco is proud of his soccer school launched in Brazil.

Deco is putting money into his charitable organisation, Deco Institute, in the Brazilian city of Indaiatuba, near São Paulo, where he grew up.

The institute gives children aged between 6 and 17 a chance to develop and prepares them for adult life in conjunction with the country's apprenticeship scheme.

"We really wanted to change something and if you want to do that, you have to start where you live," he told the Sunday Times. "All countries have social problems, but in Brazil they live in a place with many difficulties - they are offered drugs at 10, 11. This gives them the chance to be someone."

Other players have football schools, but Deco's operation has gone further.

"Sport is important, but not sport alone," he said. "These kids need to get a job, to work. At 16 or 17, when they pass out of the institute, what can they do then? That's the difference between our institute and others.

"We have 200 kids, and another 200 who belong to other institutes but use our space. We put in about £400,000 a year, but we are doing this because we believe in it. The responsibility is big, but I think we're doing well and we see the progress in the kids."