Benfica Foundation and Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa sign collaboration protocol

BTV REPORT

The Benfica Foundation signed this Friday, December 9th, a new collaboration protocol with Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, which presupposes the continuity of the partnership established in multiple social projects.

Among the projects included in the protocol is the "Para ti Se não faltares!" [For you if you don't miss classes], which is being developed at the Agrupamento de Escolas de Benfica. This is a project to combat absenteeism and school dropout which, through this protocol, allows the promotion of regular sessions, the awarding of prizes, and participation in extraordinary experiences - depending on their results - for more than 60 students from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd school levels. This group of children and young people joins, in this way, a larger group of students from "Para ti Se não faltares!" [For you if you don't miss classes] different parts of the country, totaling more than 350 students.

Regarding the remaining projects and initiatives, whose common goals between the Benfica Foundation and SCML lead both entities to work together, the "Walking Football" project, through which SCML beneficiaries participate in teams of the Benfica Foundation's active aging project, should also be mentioned.

Present at the ceremony were Rui Costa (President of Sport Lisboa e Benfica and the Benfica Foundation), Carlos Moia (Executive President of the Benfica Foundation) and Sérgio Cintra (Administrator of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa).

"It is a long-time partnership, it started in 2009/10 and then, unfortunately, it was interrupted. I take this opportunity to give a word of thanks to Dr. Sérgio Cintra, who when he took charge of this area gave a boost and realized the value that we could add, together with the Santa Casa", mentioned Carlos Moia to BTV.

The impact of the Benfica Foundation's social work was especially emphasized by Sérgio Cintra.

"It has always been our ambition to return to the protocol with the Benfica Foundation. The capacity that the Foundation has in each of the territories to be both an element of pride and responsibility for the children and their families is absolutely extraordinary", claimed the administrator of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa.