SUMMARY
- Mane has recognized his villager's efforts for his soccer career and duly rewarded them back. Sadio Mane has done many charitable works in Bambali, Senegal.
- The 31-year-old has reportedly invested around $1.35 million in his native village. The Al-Nassr player has built a hospital, school, and many more structures that serve his community.
Sadio Mane has been one of the best players of his generation. The Senegalese attacker with his talent and hard work has reached the pinnacle of the soccer world. The 31-year-old has won trophies right, left, and center with his clubs and country. But it is his charity work in his native village of Bambali that has won the hearts of many.
The former Liverpool fan is one of those players who has always remained true to his roots. Mane has recognized his villager’s efforts for his soccer career and duly rewarded them back. Sadio Mane has done many charitable works in Bambali, Senegal.
The 31-year-old has reportedly invested around $1.35 million in his native village. The Al-Nassr player has built a hospital, school, and many more structures that serve his community.
Sadio Mane recently opened the Bambali Stadium at his home village in Senegal, which he built at his own expense 🇸🇳
Mane has already built schools, and hospitals, and provided essential resources where needed for his country ❤️ pic.twitter.com/dn0G4j1663
— Sportive23 (@Sportive_23) January 5, 2024
In 2024, Sadio Mane opened a mini-stadium in the village that has artificial grass and a beautiful stand for the spectators to enjoy the games. It replaces the mud pitch where Mane and his friends grew up playing.
The mini-stadium constitutes a long list of charitable works that the 31-year-old has done for his poverty-stricken village. Sadio Mane donated an estimated $337,000 to build a school in his village in 2019.
He has always encouraged the children from his village to educate themselves, before pursuing a soccer career. Mane once said (via Daily Mail), ” Of course, they can keep playing football, but it (education) will help you more to be successful in what you are doing if you do both. It’s not like when I was young anymore because it was very difficult back then.”
Sadio Mané, after receiving the Socrates Award 👀#ballondor @peaceandsport pic.twitter.com/b5NBhyMcgI
— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) October 17, 2022
A devout Muslim, the former FC Bayern Munich player has built a mosque in Bambali. Mane’s father was even the Imam of the village’s old mosque. The 31-year-old donated $675,000 to build a hospital that serves Bambali, and the surrounding 34 villages. Sadio Mane has said that his father’s death was due to poor medical services fueled his desire to build a hospital in his village.
Sadio Mane has also financed a post office and the construction of a petrol station in Bambali. In addition, to this, the Senegalese player oversaw the installation of 4G internet services in the village.
Apart from the various constructions that serve the community, Mane also provides monetary aid to the villagers. The 31-year-old who got married in January 2024 sends a monthly allowance of around $80 for every family which is the minimum wage mandated in Senegal.
The allowance covers the 31-year-old’s neighborhood which has a population of 2000. His other noble work consists of providing free laptops for Bambali High School students and also grants of $400 to best-performing students from the school.
Sadio Mane talks about his humble approach to life
The Senegalese player has surely built a legacy that will continue to inspire the soccer players of tomorrow. His wise use of the money is a lesson for the young players, that they should rather give something back to their community rather than make absurd expenses. Sadio Mane has preached a life of divinity and simple living which has earned him widespread recognition.
With the kind of money that the Senegalese player has, Mane could have bought many priceless items. But, the possession of expensive watches, cars, houses, etc. does not excite the 31-year-old. The Al-Nassr player said this about his life choices, “I don’t need luxury cars, big houses, and travels around the world. I prefer that my relatives will have a little of what life has given me. I’m very appreciative of what I have.”
The modest Senegalese star will be integral to his nation in the 2024 AFCON. Senegal and Mane would be hoping to become the second country after Morocco in 2021, to win the coveted trophy back-to-back.