The Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience, organized by NBA Africa and Agence Française de Développement (AFD), has impacted over 40,000 youths from 54 schools in Lagos through basketball clinics and life-skills sessions over the past three years.
The program’s third season wrapped up with a two-day event at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, on September 10th and 11th.
The celebration featured a symposium on the program’s core values and a workshop for physical education teachers.
During the event, stakeholders addressed topics such as mental health, hygiene, and gender equality, while also focusing on enhancing the capacity of PE teachers and improving the educational experience for students in their schools.
The notable attendees included the General Consul of France in Nigeria Laurent Favier, AFD Country Director for Nigeria Xavier Muron, and Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria Gbemisola Abudu.
Speaking at the event, the AFD Country Director for Nigeria Xavier Muron said: “At AFD, we believe that sport is a powerful drive for change, fostering social and economic progress. Therefore, our participation in the BE Program reflects our dedication in investing in youth, skills development, and the empowerment of communities.”
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Also, the General Consul of France in Nigeria Laurent Favier added that: “Over the past two years, with the financial support of the French Embassy, several initiatives have been launched to promote inclusion through sport across Nigeria. These efforts emphasize the transformative power of sport, not only as a tool for personal development but also as a means to foster inclusion, unity, and health across all communities.”
Meanwhile, the Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria Gbemisola Abudu said the program was essential to make basketball more accessible to Nigerian youth and focusing on the importance of mental health, hygiene and gender equity.
“We would like to thank AFD for their support and look forward to continuing to expand our youth development efforts in the country,” She said.
The Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience is a youth development program that offers weekly basketball and life skills sessions to educate African youth on the importance of physical and mental health and well-being.
This initiative leverages basketball as a platform to foster social inclusion and inspire secondary school students to become change-makers in their communities.