This archive report was first published on 17 July 2019.
Published on July 17, 2019, a Kenyan boy's life was forever changed when he was selected as a player mascot for the Total Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Lawrence Masira, a 10-year-old boy from Nairobi, was chosen for the prestigious role after a photo of him herding cattle in an Arsenal jersey was tweeted by Kenyan journalist Eric Njiru in December 2018.
Arsenal star Mesut Ozil saw the tweet and sent Masira and his friends an assortment of jerseys, balls, and sporting equipment, sparking a chain of events that would change Masira's life forever.
So touched was Ozil with the response to his small kind deed that he sent in another set of kits for Masira and his friends.
Visa, the official sponsor of the tournament, picked up the inspirational story and enrolled Masira into the Afcon programme, giving him the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a player escort during the Madagascar vs Tunisia quarter-final match at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo.
“It felt really good. I was so happy to have that chance,” Masira said. “The Madagascar and Tunisia players were very friendly and it was a good experience to meet them. I think my life has changed forever and I will never forget those moments,” he added.
Journalist Njiru, who posted the photo that started it all, was overjoyed to see the impact of his tweet. “This is what journalism is about, changing people's lives. I am so glad that opportunities have opened up for Lawrence and I want to thank Ozil for responding because if he didn't, we wouldn't be here today,” Njiru said.
Visa's
