Event RSA - Basketball Without Borders Camp in South Africa Sept. 22, 2009
GENEVA/NEW YORK (Basketball without Borders) – Led by Dikembe Mutombo from the D. R. of Congo and Emeka Okafor, Basketball without Borders Africa will continue to strengthen and enrich the NBA’s existing partnerships with Cotlands, Habitat for Humanity International and SKY Trust through its social responsibility efforts, the National Basketball Association (NBA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and Basketball South Africa (BSA) announced today. Community outreach in Johannesburg will begin Sept. 6 at Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) Trust to help celebrate the 20 th anniversary of the youth empowerment program. The event will feature the kids from the program singing, dancing and performing dramas. This marks the programm's fourth visit to SKY, where the NBA and its players have created both a new reading and learning center as well as a dining hall in partnership with Feed the Children. Additionally, the players and coaches will partner with Habitat for Humanity South Africa for a build day sponsored by the Pagliuca family on Sept. 7. This event will highlight the participation of the players, coaches, partners, and guests in building decent, affordable housing in partnership with two low-income families in the township of Katlehong. The highlight of the camp’s social responsibility efforts will be the NBA Cares Legacy Project in partnership with Cotlands, a nonprofit organization in Johannesburg that operates one of the most renowned pediatric AIDS hospices for children up to 9 years old. On Sept. 8, a contingent of players and coaches will dedicate a new home-based care facility in Soweto, jointly funded by the NBA and the De Beers Fund. The new facility will provide home based care for chronically and terminally ill children, serve as a place for caregiver support programs and have an area for income generation projects. With the creation of this facility, children and their families will no longer need to travel into downtown Johannesburg to receive services or treatment. Having visited South Africa every year since 2003, Basketball without Borders will take place Sept. 5-9 at the American International School of Johannesburg. The program, a basketball instructional camp for young people that utilizes sport as a vehicle to influence positive social change, features dozens of current and former FIBA/NBA players and team personnel as camp coaches for 100 young athletes (19 & under) from 21 African countries. The campers will also participate in daily HIV/AIDS education and healthy living seminars created in partnership with Hoops 4 Hope. Co-organized by the NBA, FIBA, and Basketball South Africa, the camp features BWB Marketing Partners Nike, Spalding, Lenovo, Sprite and South African Airways, who recently announced a two-year extension of its partnership with the NBAthrough 2009 given their shared commitment to important social issues. Nando’s Peri-peri Sauces will be the provider for the end of camp BBQ and EA GAMES will sponsor a camper gaming tournament. This will be the fifth consecutive
trip to South Africa for Congo-native Mutombo, who earlier this year received special recognition during the United States President’s State of the Union Address for his charitable work. Joining him and Okafor will be San Antonio Spurs forward Bruce Bowen, Primoz Brezec from Slovenia, Atlanta Hawks guard-forward Josh Childress, Orlando Magic forward Pat Garrity, Sean Marks from New Zealand, Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Martin, New York Knicks forward Malik Rose, and former NBA players Steve Smith and Jim Jackson, who will be making his third visit to South Africa.
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