TEGUCIGALPA (Honduras) - In 2018, Carmen Cubas was chosen as the Honduras Mini Basketball delegate to take part in the first Mini Basketball Americas Convention in Mexico. She is the Development Programs and Mini Basketball Manager for the National Basketball Federation of Honduras.

Carmen greatly enjoyed the experience, “I learned about the vision of the International Basketball Foundation and its approaches to Mini Basketball” said Carmen. “I returned to Honduras to create our first program focused on Mini Basketball”.

She was able to build a project, working in communities and linking basketball to social activities for children and youth.

Following the great work done for Mini Basketball in Honduras, Carmen was selected to attend the second Mini Basketball Americas Convention in El Salvador in 2019 to show other National Federations their achievements and what they had accomplished in the past year.

During the FIBA ​​Mini Basketball Convention in El Salvador, the IBF and Special Olympics Latin America presented the MOU between FIBA ​​and Special Olympics, which encourages FIBA member National Federations to join efforts to include Special Olympics children and youth in their basketball programs. Carmen returned to Honduras inspired to commit to Special Olympics.

The National Basketball Federation of Honduras, together with Special Olympics Honduras, joined forces, creating “Basketball For Good Honduras - Choose to Include”.

The program aims to create sports inclusion and offer basketball activities to athletes with intellectual disabilities who are part of the Special Olympics Honduras programs.

For their first activity with the children and youth of Special Olympics, the Honduras National Federation decided to host a Jamboree. 120 boys and girls participated in their first basketball training which focused on exploring the sport for the first time through visual and tactical stimulation. It included exercises, games, music filled with excitement and enthusiasm and lots of high fives!

The goal was to get to know one another, stimulate the children, and offer a fun and playful first interaction to basketball. Children with and without disabilities played together.

“I believe that basketball is an important tool that can form better human beings, build hope and have a positive impact in our community. I want to contribute to the active participation of boys and increase the number of girls playing basketball. This is a focus in our Mini Basketball program, using basketball for good, creating awareness and inclusion and using it as an example of life. “

Basketball For Good for children with intellectual disabilities became a commitment for Honduras. They firmly believe that sport allows them to function more safely, reinforce self-esteem, promote healthy activities, finding happiness and friendship, carrying the message to the world.

IBF President Horacio Muratore stated "It is great to see that delegates are inspired by our Mini Basketball Conventions and are building concrete projects as a result, especially projects in which they understand the good basketball can do. I am also happy to see that our MOU with Special Olympics is yielding such partnerships and eager to see our basketball family grow with Special Olympics athletes".

On June 6, Carmen was appointed as Development Advisor for Special Olympics Latin America. They are building a project for Latin America and the National Federations to promote inclusion and unify efforts in various countries.

Currently still in quarantine, the Honduras National Federation continues their activities together, with basketball clinics for Special Olympics and training in organizing events on digital platforms. They have also continued to develop activities using technology and basketball from home.