NBA basketball star Bismack Biyombo has announced that he will donate the full $1.3 million value of his contract to building a hospital in his home town in the Congo, according to Good News Network. Biyombo, who signed a one year contract with the Phoenix Suns, is using his celebrity influence to make a difference by changing the lives of people in need. Through his organization, the Bismack Biyombo Foundation, Biyombo has been providing medical aid among other assistance to the Congo, and the construction of a hospital is a uniquely special project for him.
Biyombo took a leave from his career last year to care for his sickly father who passed away in August of 2021. According to Good News Network, Biyimbo shared that “he became aware of just how fortunate he was simply to be able to bring his father to the hospital,” which led him to build a hospital in a place that needed one. On his YouTube channel, Biyombo explained that he wanted to be able to give people a chance to have hope that their loved ones will be cared for and survive.
According to their website, the Bismack Biyombo Foundation was founded to “propel the belief that the opportunities we receive aren’t intended for our benefit alone; they are meant to be multiplied through the lives of others.” The Foundation focuses on three main initiatives to improve the lives of children in the Congo including athletics, education, and health. They reportedly grant 185 scholarships annually, have 150 academy students enrolled annually, and treat 1,085 patients weekly. When the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning, the Foundation donated $1 million of medical supplies to the Congo.
Biyombo’s philanthropy serves as an inspiration to all who can give to others to find a cause they believe in and do something about it. Through the Bismack Biyombo Foundation, children and families have opportunities they may otherwise not have had to live a healthy life. Just as important is the opportunity to dream that Biyombo has now given to so many children who will use his example as a guide to believe in themselves, set goals, and work hard to achieve them.