Benfica signs partnership with the city of Pemba

O Sport Lisboa e Benfica signed this Thursday, March 2nd, a contract for technical partnership and youth development schools with the Municipality of Pemba. An agreement that aims to implement a football project in the Mozambican city.

Shéu Han, Augusto Matine, Mário Wilson, Mário Coluna and Eusébio, are some of the references of the Benfica imaginary, in addition to Glorioso, have something else in common: they came to the world in Mozambique, a country with an almost umbilical relationship with Benfica.

"We have a historical relationship with Mozambique, a lot of friendship. We don't need to remember the two great Mozambican legends who wore the Benfica jersey", explained Sport Lisboa e Benfica's vice-president, Manuel de Brito, in declarations to the Club's media.

An opinion shared by Florete Simba, Mayor of Pemba. "Our project aims to train young people in all areas (sports and professional). Benfica is a Mozambican 'brand', we had Eusébio and Coluna and that's why we made this choice", he revealed.

The Pemba region is a high profile area because of the high number of refugees growing due to the conflict with Al Qaeda. Recently the city created a sports project, with support from the municipality, which allowed for construction work to be done in the Municipal Stadium. That's where Benfica also comes in.

"We know that the province of Pemba has been buffeted in recent years by very adverse situations. It has been a very big conflict zone, with hundreds of thousands of refugees and when we were asked to collaborate, Benfica immediately said yes", revealed Manuel de Brito.

Two technicians from the Club will be in Mozambique for a period of five years aiming to implement a football project among boys and girls up to the age of 19, in the 13 districts of the city and other locations in the province of Cabo Delgado.

"This protocol serves to occupy the youth of the various neighborhoods in the city of Pemba, especially the displaced ones so that they don't go down other paths. Sport will keep them busy. We want to bring to the attention of Mozambicans that sport unites and develops young people. Benfica will help us do good in the city of Pemba", told Florete Simba.