Much has been said and written about Manute Bol who passed away June 19, 2010, and most of the focus was on his fabulous nine-year career as the tallest person to ever play in the NBA. But there was a much deeper side to the seven-foot-seven native of Sudan.
Manute often traveled back to Sudan and spent much time promoting peace, especially in Darfur, and helping friends and family as much as he could before his untimely death at the age of 47. His last trip to Sudan was extended when the government asked him to stay and promote a corruption-free election process. Already not feeling well and separated from his medications, he became seriously ill before he returned to the States. Ultimately, he succumbed to a combination of kidney failure and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
An un-educated young man when he came to the US to attend school and play basketball in 1983, Manute came to place a high value on education. He firmly believed that one of the important keys to peace in Sudan is education for its children which includes learning English.
Manute made a promise to his community to build a school
During his trip to his village in January and February 2008, he made a promise to the people that he would help raise funds to build a school in the village. There are more than 300 students and 20 teachers in the
school near his neighborhood but no schoolhouse. They had been teaching and learning under a tree, and when it rained—as it often does during the rainy season that lasts from May through October, there was no school.
In January 2009, Manute delivered one compressed earth block press to Turalei and brought a team of Ugandan trainers to teach the brick-making technique.
Now, two buildings with six classrooms and latrines have been completed at the Manute Bol Turalei Primary School. Franklin Electric has installed a solar powered submersible water pump and water tower to provide a continuous clean water supply to the school. Two cooks prepare one meal daily at the school with food provided by the World Food Programme. The first three-classroom building (built by Sudan Sunrise in 2009) will be converted to an office, library and storage. Five additional classrooms will be built, with one two-classroom building and one three-classroom building. Remaining construction also includes a food preparation and storage area.
Most Valuable Helper
By Nicholas D. Kristof :: Published: June 23, 2010
Sports stars often make headlines with spectacular misconduct, and they don’t use their celebrity enough to make the world a better place. But every now and then, along comes a star as gifted ethically as athletically — and I’m thinking now of one of the greatest basketball players ever. Read the full article »