Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has teamed up with the charity BigShoe to cover 120 life-changing operations for children in Nigeria.
Saka, who is with the England squad at the World Cup in Qatar, has Nigerian roots and says he wants to have a positive impact in a country he feels “very connected to”.
BigShoe helps less privileged children in need of life-changing medical surgeries.
Saka has helped fund surgery for 120 children in Kano, Nigeria, with most of those involved suffering from diseases like inguinal hernias, umbilical hernias or brain tumours.
“I feel blessed to be in a position where I can contribute to making the children’s lives easier and better through these surgeries,” the 21-year-old said.
“I still feel very connected to Nigeria. For me, it is very important to use my abilities to have a positive impact where I can and I have to say a big thank you to the whole BigShoe team for making this possible.”
A team of five doctors treated and looked after the children. The operations took place in mid-October and were a success, with those involved now on the mend and facing better prospects for their future.
BigShoe was founded in 2006 and since then it has helped more than 1,600 children around the world.
