ANTSIRABE (Madagascar) – The basketball court is a third space for many communities - a place beyond home or work to gather, share, learn, and connect with others. There’s no pressure to perform. Get away from the couch, the obligations, the stress. Bring yourself and be yourself. An accessible, no-cost, down-the-road retreat for conversation and shared experiences.
Knowing the basketball court acts as a neighborhood hub for cultivating empathy with others, Thomy Rarivoarison, Youth Leader and 3x3 coordinator for the Vakinankaratra Regional Basketball League, and his team are taking advantage of this local pillar to get people to learn and care about the environment and climate change as well.
COMBINING SPORT WITH COMMUNITY LEARNING
They implemented the Eco-Hoopers project in the Vakinankaratra region of Madagascar. The two-day event featured a 3x3 basketball camp, led by local coaches and with the support of two African 3x3 National Team champion coaches from the region, Coach Deda and Coach Anthony. Practical waste-recycling and awareness workshops were conducted in collaboration with various local NGOs and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), in addition to an on-site reforestation activity, as well as a scrimmage-style tournament and awards session.
AN IMPACT IN NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED (AND SMILES CREATED)
On the surface, the number of direct participants speaks of the event’s success. 85 participating students between ages 11-16, 17 staff members, and 500 spectators - a truly significant turnout. However, beyond the physical presence on-site, the event had an even greater impact nationwide because of strategic media coverage and community collaborations.
“The impact was even more evident through the children’s feedback shared with their parents, as what they described at home reflected their happiness and strong enthusiasm to experience such an adventure again," said Rarivoarison. "The many images captured during the event, filled with genuine smiles, provide clear and compelling evidence of this impact.”
LEARNING BY DOING
Another key lesson to be learned from Thomy that can be applied across the Basketball For Good space is the power of doing. Understanding community needs. Being conscious of restrictions. But more importantly - acting.
“Meaningful impact can be achieved through experience sharing and learning by doing, without waiting for large financial resources or external experts before taking action. By adapting to the limited resources available and optimizing what we had, we were still able to successfully implement most of the project’s objectives.”
A VOCALIZED EXCITEMENT FOR MORE COMMUNITY-FOCUSED EVENTS
“One of the most telling indicators of the project’s impact is that, following the event, a large number of individuals and organizations contacted our league, both at the national and local levels. Many parents also reached out to express their interest in seeing more initiatives of this kind, particularly events that combine sports with social and community-focused themes. The project demonstrated that through sports, young people can enjoy themselves and pursue their passion while being more receptive to learning about social issues.”
Despite uncertainty stemming from a variety of challenges, the Vakinankaratra Regional Basketball League has remained flexible and committed to offering sport in combination with climate change education and sustainability best practices in the region.
The FIBA Foundation celebrates their collective efforts to harness the power of basketball to drive lasting community development and impact.
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The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.
The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.