Due to the stigma attached to homelessness, many on the streets suffer from social exclusion, which makes it even more difficult for them to rebuild their lives. In 2004, CAIS began using sport to re-establish social and emotional relations between its participants - mainly homeless persons - and society.

It is an inclusive project that uses sport to fight poverty and exclusion: a new and innovative strategy of social intervention that generates positive social images through street football matches that are enjoyed by players and spectators alike. CAIS has been very successful at shedding light on the issue of homelessness and bringing positive media attention to issues that concern Portugal’s homeless population.