Hoops and Hustle: Jr. NBA and M-PESA Empower Young Stars
Hoops and Hustle: Jr. NBA and M-PESA Empower Young Stars
Elite Basketball Camp Kicks Off in Mombasa
MOMBASA, Kenya – April 7, 2025 – M-PESA, in partnership with the Jr. NBA, hosted an Elite Basketball Camp for Kenya’s top junior talent.
The event brought together 100 standout players—50 boys and 50 girls—at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa.
They participated in high-energy skills development, intense scrimmages, 5v5 tournaments, and scouting sessions.
These players earned their spots through regional tournaments in Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, and Kisumu.
Hoops and Hustle: Jr. NBA and M-PESA Empower Young Stars
Finals Ahead, Skills Sharpened
The camp sets the stage for the Jr. NBA National Finals, scheduled for Thursday and Friday at the same venue.
Wholly Kawemba, coach from Umoja Junior School in Changamwe, praised the initiative.
“This is a great opportunity before the finals,” he said. “The dribbling drills today were especially valuable.”
M-PESA’s Chief Financial Services Officer, Esther Waititu, emphasized the broader impact of the program.
“Our goal is to transform lives,” she said. “Through M-PESA Go, we’re also teaching financial literacy. That’s as important as what happens on the court.”
Talent, Teamwork, and Opportunity
NBA Africa’s Kenya lead, Michael Finley, applauded the turnout and talent.
“We promised to showcase the best—and we delivered,” he said. “Scouts saw some amazing potential today.”
The first edition of M-PESA Jr. NBA has already reached over 10,000 young players through games, fitness clinics, and life skills training.
Now, the top 16 teams—eight boys’ and eight girls’—will compete for national glory this week.
As the tournament heats up, eyes are not just on the scoreboard—but on the future stars who could rise from this platform.
