Leonardo and Rai decided to create a multiple area designed exclusively for these young people. First, however, in order to understand fully what this type of move entailed, they turned to groups which already exist: the “Ayrton Senna Institute”; “Cenpec”; "A casa do Teatro" (The House of Theatre); “The Abrinq Foundation”; “The Axè Association”. They also widened their own understanding of the social welfare conditions within the extremely poor areas of two large Brazilian cities, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Their first centre was established in Sao Paulo , in the “Tremembè” area, among the "favela" of the “Vila Albertina” community. The idea behind locating it here was to encourage people living in the area to make use of the Foundation's facilities. Facilities which in their own turn intended to blend in with the community's needs. The Sao Paulo State local government offered the site to The Gol de Letra Foundation , while the Kellogs Foundation and the BNDES (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social) took care of any restructuring work needed.

In August 1999 work started with the activities and educational programmes: since then, children and adolescents aged between 7 and 14 have been studying Portuguese, both language and literature, physical education, music, dance, art and computer/information studies. Adolescents between 15 and 18 also have the chance of reconstructing the true story behind the “Vila Albertina” community, using a variety of documentation. This programme in particular has given rise to theatre productions, photograph and video exhibitions and even hip-hop concerts.

In September 2001 The Gol de Letra Foundation opened another centre in a similar area of great poverty, Niteroi, in the province of Rio de Janeiro, using educational programmes similar to those of Sao Paulo.