The View From Africa: Giants of Africa – Using Basketball to Empower African Youth

In this week’s View From Africa piece Cynthia Mumbo, CEO of SportsConnect Africa, puts a spotlight on the work being done by non-profit organisation Giants of Africa.

Giants of Africa is an admirable non-profit organization that utilizes basketball to empower the youth of Africa through education, leadership, and teamwork. It was established by NBA Executive Masai Ujiri in 2003 and has been conducting basketball camps throughout the continent every summer for young girls and boys aged 15 to 19. Additionally, the organization constructs basketball courts and implements outreach programs to create more opportunities for African youth.

In 2023, GOA celebrated its 20th anniversary with a festival in Kigali, Rwanda. The festival brought together hundreds of youth from over a dozen African countries for a week-long celebration of basketball, education, culture, and entertainment. The youth participated in basketball clinics, leadership workshops, and cultural events. They also had the opportunity to meet and learn from NBA players and coaches.

The Giants of Africa Festival was a great success. It demonstrated the unifying and inspiring potential of basketball among young people from all over Africa. Additionally, it emphasized the significant efforts of GOA in empowering African youth through sports.

Giants of Africa not only holds basketball camps but also builds courts in underserved communities, facilitates outreach initiatives promoting health and education, and has created a scholarship program for African youth to attend college.

Giants of Africa has positively impacted over 40,000 African youth in 17 countries, helping to develop some of the continent’s top basketball players like Pascal Siakam, Serge Ibaka, and Bam Adebayo.

Giants of Africa has not only had a significant influence on basketball but also on the communities it serves. The basketball courts provided by the organization have become a popular spot for young people to gather, and its outreach programs have contributed to improving health and education in underserved areas.

Giants of Africa is an inspiring model of how sports can make a positive impact on the world. The organization offers African youth a chance to enhance their abilities and talents, along with the essential life skills required for a successful future.

Here are some of the specific impacts that Giants of Africa is having in Africa:

• Empowering youth: Giants of Africa is empowering African youth by providing them with opportunities to play basketball, learn life skills, and develop their leadership potential. The organization’s basketball camps and outreach initiatives are helping to create a more positive and productive environment for young people in Africa.
• Increasing access to basketball: Giants of Africa is increasing access to basketball in Africa by building basketball courts and providing basketball equipment. This is helping to promote physical activity and healthy living among young people in Africa.
• Promoting education: Giants of Africa is promoting education in Africa by providing scholarships to African youth who want to attend college. This is helping to create a more educated workforce in Africa, which will lead to economic development.
• Improving health and well-being: Giants of Africa is improving health and well-being in Africa by promoting healthy living habits and providing access to healthcare services. This is helping to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and improve the quality of life for people in Africa.
• Job creation: Giants of Africa has built basketball courts in underserved communities, which has created jobs for local construction workers. The organization has also provided scholarships to help African youth attend college, which has led to more young people entering the workforce with the skills and knowledge they need to get good jobs. According to estimates, Giants of Africa has created over 5,000 jobs in Africa over the past 20 years.

Giants of Africa is a valuable asset to Africa. The organization is making a positive difference in the lives of young people and communities across the continent.