When Michael Lahoud was 6 years old, he fled civil war in Sierra Leone and came to the United States. He felt scared and alone. But with help from his favorite sport—soccer—Lahoud was able to make friends, find a community, and earn a college scholarship. Years later, while playing professionally in the United States, Lahoud was approached by a stranger who asked him, “How would you like to change the world?” For Lahoud, the answer was simple. He decided to build a school in Sierra Leone and use his platform as a professional soccer player to make sure that what happened in his home country never happens again.

For more information on how to support schools in Sierra Leone visit Schools for Salone.