Egyptian fans are placing big hopes on footballer Mo Salah, whose popularity has been skyrocketing both at home and abroad. Hamada Elrasam takes us to Salah’s home town of Nagrig where his success, and his sponsorship of community projects including a football school for children, are changing the lives of many.
In Egyptian Football Star's Home Village, World Cup Ignites Big Dreams
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Residents of Mohamed Salah’s hometown, Nagrig, gather at a cafe to watch a football match while local football league play in a soccer playground that is part of the cafe.
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Nagrig residents gather to break the fast at a community Iftar during the Muslim holy season of Ramadan, sharing food, love and memories. They also talk about football.
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Nagrig renamed the community’s industrial secondary school to the "Mohamed Salah Industrial School." The school is Salah's alma mater, and the decision to change the school's name reflects the pride the town, and especially its young people, have in the footballer. Many say they aspire to be like him.
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Hassan Bakr is a social researcher at a local charity organization set up by Mohamed Salah. He said, “Mohamed wanted to return the favor to his village by financially supporting 450 poor families from the village each month, as well as buying medical equipment for the local hospital and building a school.”