ANTANANARIVO (Madagascar) - Basketball For Good voices shares the stories of individuals whose lives have been changed through basketball. They show the positive impact that basketball can have on people and communities.

Onja Soloharinivo, 41, is the head of the Mini Basketball Committee at the Malagasy Basketball Federation. In 2019, she took part in the first African Mini Basketball Convention and returned with the motivation and knowledge to develop Mini Basketball in Madagascar. Her success has earned her a position as a facilitator with the Mini Basketball Virtual Seminar where she is now sharing her knowledge and experience with Mini Basketball delegates from other Federations.

Onja discovered basketball on television, watching Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls, her passion for the sport was born.

She then started playing and never stopped. She explains, "I was a player and I still play on the veteran team, I was almost always captain of teams, I was part of the National Team of Madagascar”.

The impact that basketball has had on her life is priceless, "Basketball has played a great role in my development and has enriched me with knowledge and experience. It has allowed me to travel a lot even though I came from a fairly modest family. It also taught me a lot of values: a fighting spirit, great mental strength, the importance of mutual aid, fair play, the importance of physical fitness...".

In addition to being a player, Onja is strongly involved in the Malagasy Basketball Federation, "I am an elected member of the Malagasy Basketball Federation, responsible for the Mini Basketball Commission within the Federation and Mini Basketball delegate of Madagascar, and member of the Marketing Commission".

As head of Mini Basketball within the Federation, Onja took part in the first African Mini Basketball Convention that took place in Morocco. "It was the first time I really got to know the philosophy of Mini Basketball. I understood that through basketball, you can influence a person from a young age and teach them important values to become a good person”

"I also learned the right moves to execute the basic movements, as well as the best methods to learn the fundamentals of basketball in a fun way”.

As a result of attending the seminar, Onja has developed Mini Basketball in her Federation. "I have organized 3 editions of the annual U12 National Championship, with over 400 children from all over the country and during which we have organized basketball fundamentals sessions and training sessions for Mini Basketball coaches."

Onja realizes the importance of sports in children's lives, "Young people who play basketball are more active, more fulfilled and healthier. It is also important for their development and growth”.

The Mini Basketball program implemented by Onja is a real success and the FIBA Foundation invited her to become a facilitator in the Mini Basketball Virtual Seminars, so that she can share her experience with Mini Basketball delegates from other African Federations.

"Basketball is my life" explains Onja who has big dreams for the future, "I will develop a National Mini Basketball development program throughout Madagascar and my biggest wish is to set up and run a Mini Basketball Center to continue to impact children through basketball".

About Mini Basketball:

The FIBA Foundation’s Mini Basketball program is a global Basketball For Good initiative to improve health and well-being of 5-12 year old children and to fight physical inactivity and childhood obesity. It is an inclusive grassroots basketball movement addressed to girls and boys and their parents and uses fun & game based learning. Please contact us if you want to know more about our programs or if you are interested to work with us.