ExxonMobil, NBA Africa and PanAfricare have tipped off the 10th season of the Power Forward Youth Development program, which uses basketball to teach health literacy and life skills to secondary school students in Abuja, Nigeria.
The season tipped off with a basketball clinic for 200 youths aged 13-16 at the Africa International College, Kaura.
Since Power Forward launched in 2013, the program has reached more than 200,000 youth and their communities in Abuja through life skills and public health awareness seminars, malaria prevention workshops, and basketball programming.
The Chairman and Managing Director of ExxonMobil affiliate companies in Nigeria, Richard Laing stated that the initiative has provided more than $37.4 million (over N15 billion) in cash grants to partners working to develop community-based solutions in Nigeria.
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Exxonmobil, NBA Africa, PanAfricare tip off Power Forward Youth Development Program
“ExxonMobil’s Malaria Initiative works with non-profit partners and leading global health organizations to advance progress against the disease in malaria-endemic countries by supporting malaria education and awareness, improving access to tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment, strengthening health infrastructure, and advancing research and innovation,” he said.
In her submission, NBA Africa Vice President and Country Head for Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu said the initiative is focused on youth empowerment and development to see youths succeed off and on the court.
“With a focus on youth empowerment and development, we continue to use the transformative power of the game to equip our youth with the skills necessary to succeed on the court and in life. The Power Forward program is a core component of our broader efforts to make basketball more accessible in Nigeria,” she said.
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