Giants of Africa, a global basketball initiative with roots in Canada with an aim of inspiring African youth with programmes focused on empowerment and leadership on and off the court has been moving a journey with Rwanda for the recent years.
As part of the partnership between Giants of Africa and Rwanda, some achievements have been registered including the construction of some courts in the country, as well as equipping youngsters with basketball skills.
Currently, Rwanda is hosting the Giants of Africa Festival where 250 passionate youth from 16 different African countries will gather to take part in sports, entertainment, and culture as well as dialogue.
Though Giants of Africa is celebrating 20 years of existence, it first came to Rwanda in 2015. Since it started in Rwanda, its partnership with the country has been growing stronger. Currently, hundreds of boys and girls have benefitted from its annual summer camps.
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With friendship between its head Masai Ujiri and President Paul Kagame who is an avid lover of basketball, it has been easy for both sides to work together for the vision of developing the game.
Ujiri grew up playing basketball in Africa. He says he recognises an abundance of talent and innate love for sport in his homeland despite the lack of coaching and adequate resources.
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Masai drew upon his own personal experiences and founded Giants of Africa in 2003 to change that reality and empower countless boys and girls through the power of basketball.
Since 2003, Giants of Africa has positively impacted over 40,000 African youth across 17 countries through access to over 30 basketball courts and 80 basketball camps or clinics. Twenty-six of the total courts have been made possible through ‘Built Within’, the foundation’s multi-year, 100-court commitment to investing in sports infrastructure across Africa, launched in 2021.
Since 2003, Giants of Africa has travelled the African continent hosting basketball camps for boys and girls. Each of these camps is led by NBA personnel and local coaches who not only conduct basketball training but also life skills lessons to all participants.
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The impact of its camps extends beyond basketball, as many players have not only gone on to achieve success in the sport at the local, national and professional level, but also pursued other career paths, such as becoming doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and more.