Gilberto Silva can vividly recall one of the first times he got involved in one of Arsenal's community projects.
"In my first season, I couldn't speak proper English," he says. "But I engaged in a project called Street League, which works with homeless people. It was fantastic.
"The programme uses football to offer opportunities and to give participants hope for life. This is what captivated me. I believe everybody deserves a place to live and have a better place in society.
"I wanted to support the project and after training with Arsenal in the morning, I would go down a few times in the afternoon to play football with them. I don't know if anybody at Arsenal knew about it!"
With a playing career that included winning the Premier League title with an undefeated Arsenal team in 2003/04 and lifting the FIFA World Cup with Brazil, there is little that Gilberto hasn't achieved in the game.
Despite his many medals and acclaim, he has never forgotten where he came from.
He had a difficult upbringing. He grew up in a small village where both parents worked at a sugar cane factory and money was scarce.
The Silva family also had to deal with the illness that his had mum which required her needing a kidney transplant.
"The tough times gave me strength to grow up fast, take responsibilities in life," he says. "Of course when you have the opportunity, you want to succeed in football but when you are small kid coming from a small village, football is just a vehicle to help your family.
"Then it's about your values, the people that love you. The difficulties never broke us down because as a family we supported each other during the tough times.
"I cannot forget the people that helped us. I keep that very close to me. Keep looking in the mirror from where you come from.
"I'm not different from anybody. I'm not better than anybody. I'm just somebody who has a different path. We have more or less the same desire which is live our life in the best way we can."
So it's hardly surprising that during his professional football career supporting community programmes and the organisations that deliver them was close to his heart.
This has continued now his playing days have come to an end. He is an ambassador for Arsenal and FIFA as well as being a patron of Street League.
He has also been a supporter of the The Premier League and Professional Footballers' Association Community Fund, which helps clubs develop partnerships to tackle inequality and respond to local challenges.
The programme involves current and former professional football players, as well as academy players, inspiring local communities and help them improve their wellbeing, achieve their potential and develop their personal skills and positive attitudes to succeed in life.
"It's important for a player to give back the love they got from fans around the world that support them in their career," he says. "As a player you have to feel it, it has to come from inside.
"When you do this community support, it's because you want to contribute to the community, you want to serve people. You're making a connection between the club, fans and the players.
"You cannot separate the club and community. For me every club is a big club because they play such a big part in people's lives. When we work together, we can do many more things."
Gilberto now hopes that his experiences and passion for community work can inspire current players to follow in his footsteps.
"I'd tell young players to go and see life, real life," he says. "Go to a project where you can inspire and where you can get inspiration. You can give time to help those people.
"This will connect and show that we are not different, we could be on the other side. You don't need to tell the world but just do it, be a giver.
"Giving participants just one line of inspiration can stay with that young person for the rest of their lives.
"Fans connect with the shirt and then having the opportunity to be close to their idol, it means a lot. That's why it is important that players and ex-players are aware of how much we can contribute to society and to the world with our good example and good words."
