NBA Africa launches 'expansive' youth basketball program in Kenya

Over 10,000 boys and girls in Kenya will get an opportunity to develop their basketball skills in the newly launched M-PESA Jr. NBA youth development program.

A clinic consisting of more than 100 local coaches at Sabis International School over the weekend marked the beginning of the most expansive youth development program in East Africa, which is set to consist of four regional tournaments for youth ages 13-16.

Among the regions the tournaments will be held include: Nairobi (Feb. 22-23), Mombasa (March 8-9), Eldoret (March 15-16) and Kisumu (March 22-23).

The first year of this initiative will see 20 boys’ and 20 girls’ teams in each city participate in skills development sessions and competitive games.

The top 80 players will then be grouped into four boys’ teams and four girls’ teams that will play games in a round-robin format.

The top 16 boys and girls from each city will subsequently be selected to attend an elite top 100 camp at Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa in April.

In addition to the basketball development programming, M-PESA, Safaricom’s innovative mobile payment platform, will host financial literacy workshops for the participating youth, while empowering them to develop healthy financial habits.

“Tipping off our multiyear collaboration with Safaricom is an important milestone in our ongoing efforts to make basketball more accessible to Kenyan boys and girls,” NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi said.

“We look forward to positively impacting youth and coaches across the country through basketball development and life-skills programming.”

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Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa, on the other hand, believes the partnership with basketball will have its impact felt far and wide.

He said: “Our collaboration with NBA Africa could not have come at a more opportune moment, as Safaricom’s M-PESA will celebrate its 18th anniversary this March, marking a significant milestone in our journey.

“Through M-PESA Go, this collaboration transcends beyond basketball. It is driven by a shared vision to create a lasting impact, not only in sports but also in the broader context of youth empowerment.

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“We are committed to nurturing potential, building character, and equipping the next generation with the tools necessary for success. We firmly believe that the association can pave the way for growth and financial health, enabling young athletes to develop their skills and seize opportunities at the next level.”