Name: Thomas Americo Boxing Club

Thomas Americo 24 December 1958 - 7 September 1999 was East Timor first Professional Boxer.

Purpose: Thomas Americo Boxing Club was established to create a safe environment for young men to learn boxing and mental wellbeing. Over the years its focus has been towards promoting positive engagement, social connectedness, and leadership development of local children and youth.

Request financial support to purchase Sports Equipment

Thomas Americo Boxing Club is seeking support to upgrade their equipment to provide a safer and more hygienic space to engage children and youth. The equipment the Club is requesting include floor mats to provide protection against the hard concrete floor,

boxing bags, boxing gloves and body pads, and nutrition to the youth boxers during practice and performance.

The reality is that the Club has very basic gym infrastructure. They are in desperate need of equipment to ensure a safe, vibrant and healthy space for local children and youth to participate in the sport of boxing. Boxing for many people is seeing as a combative/violent sport, however the Club’s Goals/Vision, first is one of fun, participation, discipline, social connectedness and leadership. Mentoring and nurturing the youth and the young ones will give them a focus and hope for the future.

By investing in equipment and nutrition for the Club the flow-on benefits to community are significant:

• Increased participation in physical activity by reducing preventable chronic diseases (e.g. heart disease and diabetes).

• Increased social connectedness and sense of purpose by reducing mental health concerns, and promoting social and emotional wellbeing, particularly among young males.

• Promotion of non-physical conflict resolution skills.

• Increasing nutrition for the youth boxers to stay healthy

• Exposure to goal setting and leadership development by growing tomorrow’s leaders

Items Request:

Boxing Equipment: 2x boxing bags, belly pad (x10), boxing gloves (x10), focus pads (x10), and nutrition financial support. Financial support for USD$2,500

Submitting on behalf of Thomas Americo Boxing Club. Thank you for time. Your consideration of this request is greatly appreciated; we look forward to the possibility of your support.