The National Basket Association (NBA) Africa and Safaricom, have launched the M-PESA Jr. NBA program, which will provide basketball development and financial literacy programming to more than 10,000 boys and girls in Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, and Kisumu, marking the league’s most expansive youth development program in East Africa to date.
The first year of the M-PESA Jr. NBA program, which tipped off with a clinic for more than 100 local coaches in Nairobi will consist of four regional tournaments for youth ages 13-16 in Nairobi (Feb. 22-23), Mombasa (March 8-9), Eldoret March 15-16) and Kisumu (March 22-23).
In each city, 20 boys’ and 20 girls’ teams will 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 upon which the top 16 boys and girls from each city will 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 will host financial literacy workshops for the participating youth, 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,” said NBA Africa Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Clare Akamanzi.
She mentioned that NBA looks forward to positively impacting youth and coaches across the country through basketball development and life-skills programming.”
Concurrently, Dr. Peter Ndegwa Safaricom CEO announced that the Company’s collaboration with NBA Africa could not have come at a more opportune moment, as Safaricom’s M-PESA will be celebrating its 18th anniversary this March, marking a significant milestone in their journey,” said.
Dr. Ndegwa stated that through M-PESA Go, this partnership transcends beyond basketball and It is additionally driven by a shared vision to create a lasting impact, not only in sports but also in the broader context of youth empowerment.
“We are committed to nurturing potential, building character, and equipping the next generation with the tools necessary for success. We firmly believe that the collaboration between M-PESA Go and the Jr. NBA program can pave the way for growth and financial health, enabling young athletes to develop their skills and seize opportunities at the next level,” he reiterated.
By Michael Omondi
