Juninho together with his wife Renata - Photo: SOS Archives
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Pernambucano made full use of a holiday to his native Brazilian city of Recife over the 2004 Christmas season break, to link up with SOS Children's Villages. Pernambucano was presented the "FIFA for SOS Children's Villages Ambassador" certificate at the "Sport de Recife" club, where he began his football career back in the 1990s.
In addition, Pernambucano also became the patron of the new SOS Children's Village, which will be constructed in Recife as part of the "6 villages for 2006" charity campaign. This village will be the 15th of its kind in Brazil. Pernambucano said he was honoured to be able to play a part in enabling many orphaned and abandoned children in Recife the chance of obtaining an SOS family.
During the ceremony at the "Sport de Recife" club, the president of SOS Children's Villages Brazil thanked Pernambucano, adding that "his [Pernambucano] successful career, which started in Recife, will definitely reach a high during the 2006 World Cup in Germany." Among the many prominent guests attending the ceremony was the Vice-Governor of the state of Pernamucano.