Play and learn initiative

Left Bernard Kaanjuka, Acting Director of Sport in the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, Frank Albin, Founder and Head Coach at BAS, H.E. Onno Hückmann, German Ambassador, Andrew Masongo (right), President of the Namibia Basketball Federation, together with other representatives from the ministry and the contractor.

The construction of the Basketball Artists School (BAS) officially started last week at the Katutura Sports Complex with a symbolic turn of the soil by the German Ambassador, H.E. Onno Hückmann, assisted by Bernard Kaanjuuka, Acting Director of Sport in the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture. The occasion was witnessed by representatives of the Namibia Basket ball Federation (NBF) and the Basketball Artists School (BAS). BAS is an after school programme focusing on academic tutoring, life skills and basketball under the motto, “Education First Basketball Second”. The main aim is to enable less privileged children to attain better future prospects.

Currently 45 children from ages 11 to 16 are attending the programme. As the school did not have its own facilities to ensure the daily support of the children, a fundraising campaign was started in 2011, resulting in donations of approximately N$500,000 by private German sponsors. In addition, via the micro-project fund, the German embassy contributed N$342,500, bringing the total contributions to almost N$900,000. The building with a floor area of 180 square meters will include two classrooms, two locker rooms with sanitation facilities, a kitchen and an office. The building is fronted by an outside veranda of 90 square meters.