In collaboration with Jesuit Refugee Services and a group of young basketball players from the camp (the “Dream Team”), CorpsAfrica volunteer Amadou Alpha Ba, secured support from the NBA to build a new basketball court for youth at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi. The court now serves as a space for ongoing sports programs promoting dignity, social inclusion, and overall well-being for youth in this protracted refugee situation.
Alpha Ba is a CorpsAfrica Exchange Volunteer from Senegal. He has been serving at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi since 2017.
With an estimated 34,000 people living there, Dzaleka is the largest refugee camp in Malawi. The camp was originally built to hold just 9,000 people. (Source: UNHCR)
Primary countries of origin represented in the camp include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia.
The court was designed to provide the camp’s large youth population with a productive outlet for developing crucial life skills. The court’s “Dream Team” aims to play in Malawi’s national league.
The day before the basketball court launch, Catalyst Basketball Movement and Franck Traore of NBA Africa held a Coaches’ Training for over 30 coaches from the camp. These coaches will go on to lead basketball programs for youth promoting healthy lifestyles, teamwork, social inclusion, and discipline.
