A Day with Rocky Hehakaija Perremuto and the Lomo'Instant Wide

To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Lomo’Instant family, we’ve sent some of our instant cameras off on their own adventures. In this article series, a selection of LomoAmigos take us into their unique worlds and show us a day in their lives through the magic of instant photography.

Today, we spent the day with Rocky Hehakaija Perremuto, who shared her passion for football and its ability to connect and inspire.

The following words are written by Rocky

Hi! I’m Rocky Hehakaija Perremuto, a 40-year-old football fanatic living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Football is the love of my life—well, besides my wife, Bettina, whom I married just last year. I know it might sound crazy, but I actually used to sleep with my football. The game has always held a special place in my heart and on my bed.

Football has been a constant in my life, shaping who I am today. My Moluccan father was the first to teach me football tricks. He took my brother, mother, and me to every game he played. I loved every minute, especially when I got to play. Four years ago, he passed away, and I honored him with a tattoo that symbolizes our shared passion.

Football has been my passport, my Google Translate, and my key to different communities and hearts. It has allowed me to travel the world, bridging language barriers and forging genuine connections through the universal language of the game. Wherever I go, the football at my feet opens doors to new communities and people I might never have met otherwise.

In 2003, my journey with my organization, Favela Street, began. It all started with my first experience in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. These are places where people often face social exclusion, and outsiders are often too scared to enter due to the perceived dangers. But when I first stepped into a favela, I was met with a warm welcome that shattered my preconceptions. I discovered that football could connect me with people on a deeper level, and from there, we could go far beyond the pitch. That’s how Favela Street was born—a personal development program for young people facing social exclusion, using football as the connecting instrument.

After starting in Rio, we expanded to Haiti and Sudan. Today, we focus on the Netherlands and Curaçao, creating a new generation of strong role models rooted in their communities. These positive communities are led by local youth who pave the way forward.

What I love most about football is that we, women, are proving to be just as good as the men—if not better wink wink. You might not know this, but women’s football was banned in Europe until the 1970s. It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come, with women’s football contributing to greater equality on and off the pitch. I’m proud to be one of those women. Take the Women’s Champions League Final, for example—it’s held in a different European city every year, with sold-out venues that are simply amazing. As a UEFA host, I seize every chance to snap a photo with professional players like Jill Roord from the Netherlands or Kenza Dali from France.

And now, with my Lomo'Instant Wide Camera, I’ve found another passion alongside football. It allows me to create memories that last. Who knew I’d find another friend to join me on this journey?

Thank you, Rocky, for sharing this wonderful story of connection through football with us!
Follow Rocky to see more of her in action, and be sure to check out Favela Street as well!

written by lomocato on 2024-08-29 #gear #people #football #netherlands #lomo-instant-wide #a-day-with