DBasia.news – Keita Balde opened up on the issue of racism in Spain, with the Senegalese international highlighting the fate of seasonal workers during the corona virus pandemic.
The AS Monaco striker who was born in Arbucies and grew up in Barcelona, has long been known to be involved in charitable activities.
Balde is currently looking for sources of accommodation and food for 150 black families, who had previously been refused shelter by hotels, with the 25-year-old player explaining that racism still exists in Spain.
He was interested in expressing his opinion after watching a video made by film director, Paco Leon, who has worked with seasonal worker, Serigne Mamadou to show the injustice that wasexperienced by his people, as well as seeing the problems experienced by workers in Lleida through social media.
“The lives of black people are more meaningful if your name is Keita Balde, but if you are only a part-time worker in Lleida, your life is not respected,” he told El Mundo.
“Maybe they don’t want to rent anything to a black kid. I feel that I have to do what I can to help.”
“I don’t want to offer words, I don’t want to talk, I want real action. People need help. They live in inhumane conditions, sleep on the streets between cardboard boxes. They work 13 hours a day for an income of € 25, they have to buy food, find shelter to sleep, they don’t steal from anyone. “
“In Spain, we need people who work in the fields to pick fruit. We need them, but you don’t treat them well.”
Balde also reached into his own pocket to pay for accommodation for 80 workers in Barcelona during the COVID-19 pandemic and explained that he had to return the favor to the community who had helped him grow since he was a young player at Camp Nou.
“I have helped build mosques and schools in Senegal, I have helped during the pandemic in Europe . I like this,” the former Inter Milan player continued.
“I have been like this since I was little. I am a child who has a heart and likes to share.”
“I gave the clothes and shoes that Barcelona gave me, to the people in the neighborhood I lived in.”
“Money is one of the problems in this world, it makes people compartmentalized. If you are rich, then you are valued. If not, then you are nobody.”
“We live in a society that has been tainted by it. The original value of someone has been lost, that’s sad.”
“I used to be happy, when I didn’t have money. And now I’m still happy.”