Sport Clube Português donates equipment to support men's village soccer league in Malawi, AfricaThrough a charitable partnership between António Paul Pereira, owner of Lusamer Autobody Inc in Newark, NJ, Sport Clube Portugues' Assemblyman Alberto Coutinho, Director of Sports and Sandra Henriques, Director of Marketing, Ironbound Crusader’s soccer equipment was distributed to village soccer teams in Zolokere, Malawi, Africa, in an ongoing effort to send assistance to a developing nation. Sandra Henriques contacted Assemblyman Alberto Coutinho to assist her in contacting the Ironbound Crusaders who donated new soccer uniforms, sweatshirts, nets, balls, water bottles etc. A total of ten teams participated in the Malawi league and competed for the donated equipment. The first, and second place teams earned new shorts and jerseys while the third place teams received only jerseys. No one walked away empty handed as the 4th and 10th place teams received hats, water bottles or flags.
Jake Wilson, a Hunterdon resident who served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the village of Zolokere from 2004 to 2007 helped organize the administration and logistics of the league. In Malawi, he recently met with some of the league’s participants, ‘ Our friends were pleased with the management of the league and grateful for assistance. The winners were all smiles.’ The third place team, ‘Eleven Stars’ sent him home with a letter for their sponsors, ‘...we thank you for donating such expensive properties for us here so that we can compete in the Zolokere area... we encourage you to continue to assist the area football teams.’António Paul Pereira began assisting one of the local clubs back in 2005 when he first visited Malawi. He explains, ‘When I went to see Jake, we went to a ball game and I noticed some of the guys were playing without shoes and I immediately started to think about how I could get these guys some soccer cleats. Jake turned to me and said it’d be better if I bought them a treadle pump so they could irrigate during the dry season.’ Paul bought the treadle pump and the team began farming tomatoes in an effort to raise money for their new cleats. In 2007, Paul returned to the village distributing new uniforms to the club, which was now names after their sponsor, ‘Tony Bomber’s’. Pereira added Sport Club’s donations. ‘It’s a real gift for these guys to put on an Adidas uniform. I really appreciate Sport Club’s goodwill and generosity. This partnership hasn’t ended yet.’
The Malawi soccer league was established to offer assistance to a soccer community that lacks proper equipment and funds necessary for the development of the game. Malawians take great interest in soccer so the league was looked upon as a spectacular development.
Established in 1921 in Newark, NJ, Sport Clube Português is an organization dedicated to the continuation and promotion of the Portuguese culture here in the United States of America.
For additional information on the league or how you can assist, please contact Jake Wilson (908) 338-1724 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or log on to www.cysfilm.com.
Sport Clube Português
55 Prospect Street
Newark, NJ 07105
Public Relations - Sandra Henriques
973-589-1133
