By Ranti Beyioki.
CHELSEA STRIKER Didier Drogba has been made the recipient of the Barclays Spirit of the game award for his charity work in Africa.
The Ivory Coast international who has a foundation in his name, has had a highly successful career on the pitch and hopes that his exploits off it can inspire the up-and-coming generation in Africa and the UK.
“I come from a poor family where I played football in the streets with my friends with no shoes, there was no grass but we still enjoyed it,” said Drogba, 37.
“There is nothing better than when you see a kid with a smile on his face and that is why I’m trying to help. I want to do a lot of things in Africa, I want to give people the chance to dream, and it is easier to dream when you are in good health and happy.”
Drogba has often donated some of his commercial and sponsorship earnings to Africa, as well as helping to raise £400,000 for the foundation via a charity ball attended by fellow professionals such as, Eden Hazard, Thierry Henry and John Terry.
The money raised will be used to complete a medical clinic in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and help finance mobile clinics that will travel outside of the capital to those who are either too sick or poor to go to the centre.
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