NBA Africa accredited scouts and coaches will support the coaching and capacity building for junior players through training and mentorship programs.
Safaricom, through its M-PESA platform, has announced a new partnership with NBA Africa to launch a youth basketball development program aimed at empowering young people through sports. The initiative, designed for youth aged 16 and under, focuses on nurturing talent while also promoting financial literacy and essential life skills. This collaboration seeks to provide opportunities for personal growth and development both on and off the court.
The program will feature a series of regional and national JR. NBA tournaments, JR. NBA fit and coaching clinics and an elite camp for top Kenyan prospects. Through the collaboration, NBA Africa and M-PESA will host four regional Jr. NBA tournaments across Kenya, culminating with an 8-team National Championship. The Jr. NBA Fit clinics will involve life-skills seminars and financial literacy training courtesy of M-PESA Go – a product that aims to drive financial inclusion and financial literacy among juniors aged 10-17 years.
Additionally, NBA Africa accredited scouts and coaches will support the coaching and capacity building for junior players through training and mentorship programs. The top 100 talents (boys and girls) will be scouted from the regional tournaments and enrolled into the NBA elite basketball camp, providing them an opportunity to participate in NBA Africa’s other elite development initiatives in the continent.
The CEO of Safaricom, Mr. Peter Ndegwa highlighted the significance of this partnership and stated, “Our partnership with NBA Africa for the Jr. Basketball Program underscores our commitment to opening meaningful opportunities for young Kenyans through sport and financial empowerment. Together with NBA Africa, we’re empowering the next generation to build their futures on and off the court, creating a lasting impact on youth and communities across Kenya.”
“We continue to create opportunities for our youth, whether through connectivity or by providing them with a platform through which they can launch their sports careers. We do this because we are Kenya’s biggest supporter and are led by our purpose of transforming lives. We look forward to engaging with NBA Africa as we explore how to transform the lives of our basketball loving youth across the country,” he said.
NBA commissioner Adan Silver added, “Our collaboration with Safaricom builds on the NBA’s ongoing efforts to grow basketball in Kenya and across the continent of Africa. We look forward to creating more opportunities for young people to engage in physical activity and learn the values inherent in sport.”
In addition to the youth program, Safaricom will offer bundled data packages that gives customers access to NBA content. This includes; daily, weekly and monthly offers that gives access to all premium NBA live games, allowing them to watch condensed games and have customizable NBA broadcasts, game angles and statistics.