[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING ATHLETE AND HUMANITARIAN MANUTE BOL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 22, 2010

  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Sudanese athlete and humanitarian Manute Bol, who sadly passed away on 
June 19, 2010, at the age of 47.
  Seven-foot 7-inches tall, Manute Bol joined the National Basketball 
Association (NBA) in 1985 with the Washington Bullets, after catching 
the eye of an American basketball coach working in Sudan. When he 
arrived in the United States, he didn't speak any English and hadn't 
completed any schooling beyond a basic elementary level. His 
exceptional height and shot blocking ability made him an instant hit in 
the NBA, and, in addition to two stints with Washington, his 10-year 
career took him to Golden State, Philadelphia and Miami. He twice led 
the league in the number of blocked shots per game and shares the 
record as the tallest person to ever play in the NBA.
  While many undoubtedly knew Mr. Bol due to his prowess on the 
basketball court, he was perhaps most proud of the humanitarian work he 
did to help his native Sudan. In 2007, after relocating to Olathe, 
Kansas, Mr. Bol partnered with a Kansas-based relief organization, 
Sudan Sunrise, to help educate and improve living conditions for 
children in Sudan. He pledged money and support to help construct a 
school in his native Turalei, Sudan, which was partially completed in 
January 2010, and now serves 300 children a day.
  Ravaged by prolonged civil wars, Sudan lacks many of the basic 
services that you and I take for granted. Eighty-five percent of the 
population in Southern Sudan is illiterate. Only about seven percent of 
teachers in the southern part of the country have any professional 
training, and it is not uncommon to visit a school where the teachers 
themselves have not been educated beyond fourth grade. Drawing from his 
own experiences and struggles due to a lack of basic education as a 
young man, Mr. Bol came to place a high value on learning. He felt that 
one of the keys to peace in Sudan is education for its children, and 
dedicated his life to improving the educational opportunities in his 
native country.
  While Mr. Bol was helping Sudan make significant strides forward in 
its education system, it is clear that there is still much work to be 
done. It is my hope that we in Congress, and others across the globe, 
are inspired by the work of Manute Bol to help children in Sudan and 
that together, we continue the mission he has begun.

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