NAIROBI, Kenya, July 19, 2024 – NBA Africa (www.NBA.com) and the French Development Agency (AFD), the French inclusive public financial institution committed to financing and technical assistance for projects that improve the lives of people in developing and emerging economies, today announce the launch of the Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience in Nairobi, Kenya.
Basketball Experience is a youth development program that will include weekly basketball and life skills sessions to educate Kenyan youth on the importance of physical and mental health and well-being.
The initiative builds on NBA Africa and AFD's existing Basketball Experience programming in Greater Casablanca, Morocco, and Lagos, Nigeria, and aims to use basketball as a platform to promote social inclusion and inspire high school students as changemakers in their local communities.
To celebrate the announcement, NBA Africa and AFD today unveiled two renovated outdoor basketball courts at the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) in Nairobi and hosted a basketball clinic for 150 boys and girls aged 16 and up. less. The renovated courts are expected to benefit more than a thousand boys and girls from surrounding communities.
The Ambassador of France to Kenya, Arnaud Suquet, the Country Director of AFD Kenya, Bertrand Willocquet, the Senior Director and Head of National Operations of NBA Kenya, Michael Finley, and the Director of Basketball Operations of NBA Africa, Kita Matungulu, attended the launch.
“At AFD, we have team spirit. We firmly believe that greater impacts can be achieved when we work together and connect, says Willocquet. The NBA was our first partner in the field of sport for development. Together, we launched the Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience program which aims to promote youth empowerment and improve access to sports for all. »
“The launch of the Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience reflects our commitment to making basketball more accessible to young Kenyans and teaching them the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Finley. Our selection of KAS as a venue also demonstrates our commitment to developing elite talent in Kenya. We thank AFD for sharing this commitment and look forward to having a positive impact on the boys and girls who participate in this program in the months and years to come. »
Jr. NBA, the NBA's global program for youth basketball participation for boys and girls, teaches fundamental skills and values of the game at the grassroots level to help grow and improve the experience basketball for players, coaches and parents. Last year, the Jr. NBA directly reached more than 170.000 young people across Africa.
