Liverpool winger Sadio Mane has provided support for his home-country Senegal by making a monetary donation to aid the fight against the coronavirus. The 27-year-old Reds' player, on Tuesday, sent 30 million FCFA - around $49,466 (£41,000) - to the national committee instated to fight the pandemic in the West African country.
Following the World Health Organization's declaration of the COVID-19 as a global pandemic, the priority at this time remains public health, with most sporting activities put on hold as a precaution. The death toll keeps rising by the day with cases of players and fans alike contracting the virus being reported on a daily.
As at Tuesday evening, Mane's home country had it official toll rising to 27. Two of said victims recovering fully as per a report by the Ministry of Health. As a further preventive measure, the government of the country moved to suspend all of flights between the West African country and several countries in Europe (France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Italy) and in the Northern Africa (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco).
Meanwhile, Sadio Mane himself is also in self-isolation after Liverpool's Melwood training facility was shutdown as a precaution to tackle the spread of the virus. While speaking to BBC Afrique, the player's agent revealed that he decided to make the donation "spontaneously when he saw the evolution of the situation" in Senegal.
The 2019 CAF African Player of The Year also advised his compatriots to take the virus serious and further outlined a few preventive measures to be applied to ensure safety in a video on social media.
“Disinfect your hands as much as possible, clean your hands for at least 30 seconds”
— Babacar Diarra (@BabsDiarra) March 17, 2020
Sadio Mané’s message to Senegalese people. The #Liverpool striker also sent a donation of 30M FCFA (around 45 000€) to health authorities in #Senegal #covid19 pic.twitter.com/9B3D7HMaX0
Tuesday's donation only adds up to Mane's many philanthropic work in Senegal. His most notable projects includes the construction of a mosque in his native hometown of Bambali and a school worth around $302,000 (£250,000). Ahead of the 2018 Champions League final with Real Madrid, he sent 300 Liverpool shirts back ahead of the Champions League final in 2018.
