Hollywood screen star Will Smith has donated a laptop and bicycle to a Guinean man who cycled across Africa to get to university.
According to him, he was touched by the story of Mamadou Safayou Barry, who trekked over 4,000 km (2,500 miles) last year just to further his education.
In a video call to Cairo, where Barry is studying, Smith told him he was “deeply moved” by his efforts and gifted him a new bike and a laptop.
He learned about the epic trip from a BBC Instagram post last September.
“I want the world to hear your story,” Smith said.
In a short film uploaded to Smith’s YouTube channel, the student appeared shocked to be talking to the Men in Black star. “This is Will Smith!” a smiling Mr. Barry said. “A lot of your films I love.”
“I don’t know how to thank you, Wallahi [I swear]! I don’t know how to thank you,” he said later when he heard about the gifts.
Smith’s publicity team had contacted the BBC after the story of Barry’s odyssey had been published, saying that it had touched the actor. They wanted to see how they could speak to him.
Last May, the 25-year-old set off from the West African country of Guinea for Egypt’s prestigious Al-Azhar University, hoping he would be accepted.
The married father of one could not afford the cost of a flight, so he instead got on his bike and took four months to pedal through Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Niger, and Chad.
He traveled through regions where jihadist fighters often stage attacks and which have seen several military coups.
He was arrested and detained three times for no good reason—twice in Burkina Faso and once in Togo.
However, Barry’s luck turned when he reached Chad. A journalist interviewed Barry and posted his story online, prompting some good Samaritans to fund a flight to Egypt for him.
Once he got to Cairo, he was offered a university place, initially for Islamic studies and then onto engineering, and a full scholarship.
“When you commit to a journey, the universe conspires to help you,” Smith told a beaming Barry, citing author Paulo Coelho.
On the video, someone can be seen wheeling a bicycle to give to the student, as well as handing him the laptop.
Source: Ghana/MaxTV/MaxFM/max.com.gh/Joyceline Natally Cudjoe
