Chelsea’s defender Antonio Rüdiger, through his foundation, has launched a $30,000 campaign aimed at providing 60,000 face masks to low-income market traders in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The defender’s Foundation, Antonio Rüdiger For Sierra Leone is partnering with a local tailor to manufacture the face masks.
In a tweet on his official Twitter handle, Rüdiger expressed hope that his gesture towards his origins in Sierra Leone will help to reduce the spread of the virus in the West African nation.
“I am pleased to announce that my Foundation Antonio Rüdiger For Sierra Leone will be partnering with @madam_wokie and @LunchBoxGift to provide 60,000 face masks to low-income market traders in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This will hopefully reduce the spread of Covid19.”
Rüdiger kickstarted the campaign with $5,000 and has been assisted by his fellow professionals, including Mesut Ozil, N’Golo Kante, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Olivier Giroud who donated an extra $5,000.
To date, Sierra Leone has recorded 64 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 10 recoveries and one death.
This is not the first time that the Chelsea defender has landed a helping hand to his mother’s country. In December of 2019, Rüdiger helped 11 children who were suffering from cleft lips, burns and deformations to undergo surgeries.
