12:36 Joe Rimmer

Kolo Toure gives out Christmas cheer to Ivorian youngsters

Kolo Toure is a lovely guy.

And he’s been ensuring that children in Ivory Coast have a merry Christmas by giving an orphanage in Yopougon, Abidjan an extra financial boost ahead of the holidays.

“I’ve been looking after them by providing food and a small house, which is not great to be honest but is something which can help them because Crystal (the woman running the project) has about 100 kids,” Toure told Press Association Sport.

I am lucky that I am able to help them. Every month I send money to ensure they can have a good life and I will try to do that as long as I can provide.

“We are not perfect but if you can still help people you help them and I will always help people who are honest and those kids have done nothing.

“I think of them as my kids and to provide for them every month is nothing. I love to see them happy, that is most important.

“Everything I do on my own and I’ve never really talked about it but with Christmas coming it is a good time to do something.

With Christmas coming I’ve tried to organise a Christmas party for them.

“I’d like to organise one or two big events, like a dinner, to raise money for a nice place for them to live and invest money to generate more for them.”