The three were there to inaugurate the new state of the art sports facility for disadvantaged youth in the Ivorian town of Bingerville, just outside Abidjan.
There was anticipation of intense competition as young athletes stepped into the brand-new facility and prepared to compete. These were the sights and sounds at the Boys Orphanage in Bingerville during the unveiling ceremony of the “Giants of Africa” basketball court on Monday.
Speaking passionately to a crowd of more than 300 young spectators, Masai Ujiri, founder of the Giants of Africa Foundation, said: “Young people are the future of Africa. Africa is on the rise, and Africa is now. The youth population is evidence of that.”
Launched in 2003, ‘Giants of Africa’ uses basketball to educate and enrich the lives of African youth. The organization provides quality facilities, sports gear, and coaches to grow the game of basketball in Africa. It creates awareness and support for underprivileged children and young adults through its basketball camps. The organizers want and urge African youth to dream big.
Each summer since 2003, Ujiri’s Giants of Africa has traversed the African continent, conducting camps for boys and girls between ages 15 and 19. The basketball court in Abidjan is the 12th of 100 courts in the Giant of Africa’s plans for the continent. It is located on the orphanage premises, which hosts 256 orphaned and disadvantaged children aged 4 to 18.
