Balotelli helps build South Sudan school

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has had a wing of a school in South Sudan named after him after he financed its construction.

The Italian international befriended a former child soldier of the country’s civil war and donated money to help him build a secondary school in the South Sudanese village of Cuey Machar which will now have a ‘Mario Balotelli wing’ in his honour.

Kon Kelei, now aged 29, was kidnapped and forced to fight when just four years old by rebels of Sudan’s People’s Liberation Army, but he later escaped the conflict and became a refugee in Holland.

After studying law during his time in the Netherlands, he returned to South Sudan following their declaration of independence and a film documenting his life was produced, entitled ‘The Silent Army’.

Balotelli was so moved after watching the film that he contacted Kelei offering to help finance a project to build a secondary school.

“Kon told me that he was forced by the rebels to use a rifle that was bigger and heavier than he was. He wasn’t even able to hold it properly,” Balotelli said.

“But he managed to run away and save himself. He could have built a new life but he wanted to help his country, so I have helped him.”

South Sudan declared independence in July, but in recent weeks there has been fighting along the border with Sudan and there are fears of another full-scale conflict.