Built Within Tour : 100 basketball courts in Africa for Giants of Africa

Building 100 basketball courts in Africa is the ambitious challenge that the Giants of Africa has set for itself through the “Built Within Tour” initiative. The programme, in partnership with Sport Court, the MasterCard Foundation and I AM GOLD, confirms the organisation’s commitment to educate and improve the lives of young Africans through sport.

The first phase of the project will see the construction or renovation of 11 playgrounds over the next three months in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. The remaining courts will be strategically located in disadvantaged communities and their locations will be revealed in the coming years.

Between September 22 and October 22, 2021, five basketball courts were unveiled in Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria. The series of unveilings began in Kenya with St. John’s Primary School, located in the Korogocho slum. A second site was opened in Sumburu, at a shelter for young girls who are victims of harmful cultural practices. The adventure continued in Tanzania with the inauguration of a third playground at Minaki High School in Kisarawe. The last two courts are in Nigeria, at Ijeshatedo Secondary School and Oworonshoki Park.

“Since we began investing in the future of sports in Africa over the last two decades, it became clear that camps and programming were not enough to create long-term opportunities for growth in sports. These public spaces have the power to unite communities, build togetherness and improve quality of life for all people,” said Masai Ujiri, president of the Giants of Africa and the Toronto Raptors NBA team.

A symbol of hope, dreams, inspiration, commitment and passion for African youth, each court has its own graphic identity.