NBA Africa and Agence Française de Développement (AFD), France’s public development institution, concluded the third season of the Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience by holding a two-day event at the National Stadium in Surelere, Lagos on September 10th and 11th.
The celebration was organized around a symposium discussion on the core values of the program and a physical education teachers’ workshop. The stakeholders took this opportunity to discuss mental health, hygiene and gender equality whilst building the capacity of PE teachers and enhancing the learning experience for students in their respective 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.
Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience is a youth development program that features weekly basketball and life skills sessions to educate African youth about the importance of physical and mental health and wellbeing. The initiative also aims to use basketball as a platform to promote social inclusion and inspire secondary school children as change-makers in their communities.
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Over the past three years, the program has reached more than 40,000 youth from 54 schools in Lagos through basketball clinics and life-skills sessions.
AFD Country Director for Nigeria Xavier Muron:
“At AFD, we believe that sport is a powerful drive for change, fostering social and economic progress. Therefore, our participation to the BE Program reflects our dedication in investing in youth, skills development, and the empowerment of communities”
General Consul of France in Nigeria Laurent Favier said:
“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.”
Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria Gbemisola Abudu added:
[“The Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience has been essential in our commitment to make basketball more accessible to Nigerian youth and focusing on the importance of mental health, hygiene and gender equity,” said Abudu. “We would like to thank AFD for their support and look forward to continuing to expand our youth development efforts in the country.”
