Essay2VaraS

**Hispanic Heritage Essay**
Serge Ibaka is a hispanic basketball player in the NBA. He plays Power Forward for the Toronto Raptors. Ibaka was born in Brazzaville, Congo which is a country in Africa. But, his parents are originally from Spain. Ibaka is one of 18 kids in his family. Both of his parents played professional basketball. His mother died when he was young and his father became a political prisoner in the Republic of the Congo during the Second Congo War. His father managed to get his family out of the country before he was imprisoned. At the age of 17, Serge played basketball in France. Then he moved to Spain and played basketball there before being noticed by NBA Scouts. In 2008 he was the 24th pick in the NBA draft. He was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics who became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009. They left Ibaka to play in Europe, but then signed him to a 2 year contract and moved him to the U.S. in 2009. Serge Ibaka is a Defensive Player of the Year and Runner Up in the Dunk Contest. In the 2016 off-season the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic for Victor Oladipo, later that season the Magic traded Serge Ibaka to the Toronto Raptors for Terence Ross.

Serge Ibaka is a recipient of the NBA Assist Award, Serge Ibaka promised $315,000 to UNICEF for boys and girls to get into the game of basketball. Serge Ibaka is raising money for orphanages in his hometown Brazzaville, Congo. He was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but his parents are from Huevla, in Southern Spain. Serge Ibaka said for every blocked shot in the 2013 playoffs he will donate $500, he blocked 13 shot so he donated $6,500. The charities are for the renovation of the orphanages in Brazzaville, Congo. The car manufacturer Kia and the NBA each donated $10,000 dollars to the orphanages for even more renovation. After the charity Serge Ibaka added more money to the orphanages and bought them all tickets to the Thunders next playoff game at home in the Cesapeake Bay Arena. And they were promised an on-court ceremony for the chairty to honor Serge Ibaka for his work with the orphanages in Brazzaville, Congo. (Oklahoma)

The world calls Serge Ibaka "The Son of the Congo" because of all of his works to help his hometown with all the orphanages he has helped. Over the off-season Ibaka was traded to the Orlando Magic so he moved his foundation to Orlando, helping poor families by giving them a shopping spree at Walmart. Also during the holidays Serge Ibaka helps families that can't afford food, so Serge Ibaka brings out his foundation and gives families turkeys on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Their misson statement is: "Anything is possible. The Serge Ibaka Foundation wants to inspire children around the world to believe in themselves, believe in their chances no matter how hard their circumstances are.Going through difficult times as a kid himself, Serge Ibaka is determined to help the kids of Congo, Oklahoma City and the rest of the World, contributing in issues such as education, health, and nutrition. Partnering with established and key organizations, the Foundation wants to take action and make an impact in communities and individuals that need help and can use Serge Ibaka’s story as an inspiration to set goals for their lives.Growing up in Congo, the odds of Serge Ibaka becoming an NBA player were low. But determination and perseverance helped him achieve his goals. His life story is proof that, indeed, anything is possible." In the Ibaka foundation they also get boys and girls into the game of basketball and teach them about the game, like how it works, drills, and playing games. Serge Ibaka gave the kids of " École Primaire Amour et Liberté in Masina, École Primaire Saint Marc in Kisangani, École Primaire Sainte Thérèse in Ndjili, École Secondaire Saint Martin, École Primaire Don Bosco in Petro-Congo, Institut Molende in Matete, École Primaire Kauka in Kauka, Complexe Scolaire Bimanzak in Bumbu, Saint Antoine in Selembao and Complexe Scolaire Mbamba", notebooks so that at the start of the school year they were ready. Ibaka brought in 20,000 notebooks with his face on it. (Home)

Serge Ibaka is a true inspiration to the kids of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and kids around the world.

"Home." // Serge Ibaka Foundation //. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. .
 * The Ibaka Foundation is a good source of information by giving all the information about Serge Ibaka UNICEF Charity

"Oklahoma City Thunder's Serge Ibaka Launches Campaign For Kids In The Congo." Lookto the Stars. N.p., 06 May 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2017. .
 * Ge Boys and Girls into the Game is a good source of information by having information with every detail of the UNICEF Charity