Refugee basketball academy RBA

03/09/2026

Sport is more than a game.

It brings people together, creates safe spaces, builds confidence, and gives young people a sense of belonging and purpose.

Through sport, we create connections, break barriers, develop leadership, and strengthen our communities.

31/08/2026

A day of basketball, unity and memories.

Thanks to the equipment donated by , we had a special game between Coach Jo’s team and Coach Bonza’s team, bringing together young players from across our academy.

It was more than just a game. It was a day to enjoy the holidays, reconnect, learn, compete and create memories together
On the court, we don’t see status or nationality. We see potential, talent and teamwork.

Basketball brings us together. Basketball helps us build friendships, memories and a family — one community.

We are creating a safe and supportive space where every young person can belong, grow and be protected.

One court. One family. One community.

16/08/2026

Two years of the Refugee Basketball Academy (RBA).

Two years of impact. Two years of engaging with young people, traveling to refugee communities, listening to their stories, and using sport as a tool to empower youth and respond to the challenges they face.

Today, we celebrated this journey through a special Day of Basketball. We brought together four teams — RBA Players, the Coaches Team, Makindye Shooters, and the Congolese Basketball Association CBA. for a mini tournament filled with competition, teamwork, laughter, and beautiful moments.

But beyond the games, today was about community. It was about coming together, sharing experiences, sharing love, and celebrating how far we have come.

A huge thank you to everyone who showed up, played, supported, encouraged, and helped make this day special. Your presence meant so much to us.

Two years ago, this was just an idea. Today, it is a growing community and a movement built around young people, sport, and hope.

And we know one thing for sure:

This is just the beginning.

14/08/2026

Congratulations to every young person who kept training despite not having the rims and backboards.

For three weeks, it wasn’t easy, and it definitely affected our training. But your commitment showed us that no challenge can stop us from continuing to play, grow and build together.

Today, seeing the rims and backboards back on the court brings so much joy.

A special thank you to Maddy for believing in us and supporting this effort. Your contribution means a lot to RBA and to the young people we serve.

And thank you to our friends, families and everyone in the Makindye community who contributed and helped make this possible. Every contribution was part of bringing recreation, connection and joy back to our court.

This is more than basketball. It’s an investment in our young people and our community.

10/08/2026

IMARA BASKETBALL CAMP — NAKIVALE 🌍
Two days. A massive gathering of young people. One mission: to build a different future — through sport.
At Nakivale Refugee Settlement, the Imara Basketball Camp brought together a large number of refugee and host-community youth around basketball

— but more importantly, around something much bigger: leadership, self-confidence, resilience, and hope.

Because “Sport Can Heal What Words Cannot.”
From Kampala to Nakivale, Imara (meaning “strong / resilient”) is not just a basketball camp. It’s a platform where every young person learns that they are not defined by their situation — that they still have something to build.

Beyond the court, Imara puts real emphasis on education and mental health, two pillars that are often overlooked in refugee settings but essential for real, lasting change. Because empowering young people isn’t only about physical skills

— it’s about giving them the tools to think critically, heal, and believe in a future beyond their current circumstances.
🏀 Basketball fundamentals
🎓 Education & personal development
🧠 Mental health & wellbeing
🤝 Teamwork
👑 Leadership
💪 Resilience
🌍 Coexistence between communities

This work directly contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — particularly Quality Education (SDG 4), Good Health & Wellbeing (SDG 3), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), and Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions (SDG 16) — proving that sport is not just a game, but a genuine tool for sustainable development. UN Youth Office

Huge thanks to every coach, volunteer, partner, and donor who makes Imara possible. Together, we keep growing this movement — community by community.

Imara Basketball Camp wouldn’t have been possible without the warm welcome we received in Nakivale.
Special thanks to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) – Nakivale for hosting us and supporting initiatives that uplift refugee youth

To the Nakivale Basketball staff — thank you for your hospitality, your energy, and for sharing your experience with our team. Partnerships like this are what make Imara possible




Because lasting change happens together. 🏀

08/08/2026

IMARA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT — KAMPALA
📸 Leandra Graf

Closing the camp with energy, unity, and a love for the game.

A huge thank you to every young person and team who joined us to celebrate World Refugee Day — to have fun, connect, and come together through our shared love for basketball.

More than basketball — strength, resilience, ambition, and community.

08/08/2026

07/08/2026

Dreams are not measured by the quality of the court. Between the sky and this rimless hoop lies a promise: true greatness is born from determination, fueled by ambition, and guided by a vision that refuses to surrender to circumstances. Training with coach Benjamin Bonza

03/08/2026

GENOCOST – August 2 | Day of Remembrance

Today, we remember the millions of lives lost to conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

As young people, we honor the victims, stand with the survivors, and renew our commitment to peace, justice, education, and hope.

We believe that every child deserves the chance to learn, every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive, and every community deserves to live in peace.

Together, let us remember the past while building a future where dignity, unity, and humanity prevail.

We Remember. We Stand for Peace. Never Again.

30/07/2026

If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, keep moving forward.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

We may not have basketball hoops yet, but we refuse to stop. Every challenge is another reason to work harder, stay united, and keep believing.

No circumstance will define our future. We keep showing up. We keep training. We keep building. We keep moving forward.