The 10th season of the Power Forward youth development program, a collaboration between ExxonMobil, NBA Africa, and PanAfricare, commenced today in Abuja. This initiative leverages the sport of basketball to impart health literacy and valuable life skills to secondary school students.
Lafiya360 reports that the Power Forward program’s latest season began with an impactful basketball clinic at the Africa International College Kaura, engaging 200 youth between the ages of 13 and 16. Since its inception in 2013, this program has successfully reached over 200,000 youths and their communities in Abuja, making a lasting difference.
In May, the Power Forward program commemorated 2023 World Malaria Day by engaging the program’s beneficiaries, alumni and other stakeholders in the Power Forward Malaria Youth Summit and Malaria Basketball Exhibition Game at Divine Mercy Secondary School.
In his address, Richard Laing, the Chairman and Managing Director of ExxonMobil affiliate companies in Nigeria, highlighted ExxonMobil’s longstanding commitment to combating malaria… “Over the past two decades, ExxonMobil’s Malaria Initiative has contributed over $37.4 million (equivalent to over N15 billion) in financial grants to support the development of community-based solutions in Nigeria.
“ExxonMobil’s Malaria Initiative works with non-profit partners and leading global health organizations to advance progress against the disease in malaria-endemic countries by supporting malaria education and awareness, improving access to tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment, strengthening health infrastructure, and advancing research and innovation.”
Gbemisola Abudu, Vice President of NBA Africa and Country Head for Nigeria, underscored the significance of the Power Forward program in the broader context of their mission to enhance basketball accessibility in Nigeria. She reiterated the program’s integral role in creating opportunities for young individuals and expressed the organization’s commitment to working alongside partners to expand its impact across various communities throughout the country.
She said, “The program, with a focus on youth empowerment and development, continues to equip youths with skills necessary to succeed on the court and in life.
“Power Forward, which launched in 10 Schools in 2013, and is now across 40 secondary schools in Abuja, uses basketball to teach health literacy, including malaria prevention and personal hygiene, and life skills such as leadership, respect and responsibility.”
PanAfricare Nigeria Country Director Dr. Patrick Adah, added: “The youth in the project have continued to sensitize their peers and community members on the prevention of diseases of public health importance.
“They have embraced innovative ways to spread these messages, such as through social media or radio talk shows. Power Forward, which launched in 10 Schools in 2013, and is now across 40 secondary schools in Abuja, uses basketball to teach health literacy, including malaria prevention and personal hygiene, and life skills such as leadership, respect and responsibility.”
In advance of the season kick-off, earlier this week NBA Academy Africa Associate Technical Director Joe Touomou led a Jr. NBA coaching clinic for 45 coaches in the Power Forward program. Since Power Forward launched in 2013, the program has reached more than 200,000 youth and their communities in Abuja through life skills and public health awareness seminars, malaria prevention workshops, and basketball programming.