A North Carolina man plans to use his $100,000 lottery prize to build classrooms in Mali

By Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN

(CNN) — A North Carolina man is planning to use his $100,000 lottery prize to help build classrooms for children in his hometown in Mali.

“I grew up in a tough way,” said Souleymane Sana, the 39-year-old dance instructor and New Bern resident. That’s part of what drove him to purchase a $30 Millionaire Maker ticket, Sana told the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Now he wants to use his winnings, about $71,259 after tax withholdings, to help children who are growing up in similar circumstances in the West African nation.

“They don’t even have a desk to sit (at),” Sana said. “They have to walk miles and miles to come.”

Sana has created a non-profit to help the residents of Mali, according to a state lottery news release. In addition to building classrooms, Sana said he plans to use the money to start building a dance center for children.

“I love to dance, and I want to teach the children in Mali to love it too,” he said.

“My dream is just becoming true little by little and I hope it will keep going,” he added.

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