MAHÉ (Seychelles) – Following a successful inaugural year, a more expansive Seychelles’ Basketball For Good program has been rolled out for 2023.

After being initially deployed to participants from the capital Mahé in 2022, FIBA Foundation’s Community Impact project is now also targeting beneficiaries from two other islands - Praslin and La Digue.

What is Hoops 4 Health?

Hoops 4 Health is an innovative attempt to train school physical education (PE) teachers in using basketball as a vehicle to raise awareness around combating non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Originally conceived for Pacific Island nations by FIBA Oceania, the program was subsequently launched in the neighboring Indian Ocean region, beginning with Seychelles.

The three-year Seychelles program is being funded by the local branch of Bahrain’s Al Salam Bank.

Three-Day Workshop for  Youth Leaders and Teachers

A three-day workshop was held between May 18 to 20, attended by 12 Youth Leaders and 20 PE teachers, who were taught the Hoops 4 Health curriculum.

Welcome speeches were delivered by three key stakeholders: Mrs. Marie-Celine Zialor – Minister for Youth, Sports & Family, Ms. Jana Malbrook – President, Seychelles Basketball Federation, and Mr. Albert Duncan – CEO, Seychelles National Youth Council & Project Coordinator.

The interactive sessions, involving various basketball drills and challenges, witnessed a high degree of participation and demonstration.

What’s next?

Teachers will now be expected to implement the program within their respective communities. Supported by Youth Leaders, the goal will be to educate students about the need to maintain healthy lifestyles to lower the high incidence of NCDs in the region and to increase lifelong fans of basketball.

Later in November, a Basketball For Good festival will be held to celebrate the learnings from this program. The festival will feature a 3x3 competition with students from the participating schools playing together in mixed teams, as well as educational and cultural activities.

After a yearly evaluation, the Seychelles Basketball For Good program will be continued in 2024.

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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.

FIBA