ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - On August 1, the Côte d'Ivoire Basketball Federation hosted an all-female MiniBasketball festival at the Salle Polyvalente (Palais des Sports) in Abidjan.
The event coincided with the 2025 Women's AfroBasket tournament in Abidjan, the largest city in Côte d'Ivoire.
For just over an hour, 70 girls, aged 8 to 12, had the unique experience of learning the ins and outs of basketball from some of the biggest names in African women's basketball.
Former Women's AfroBasket players Salimata Berte (Côte d'Ivoire), Aliaa Mohamed Gamal (Egypt), and Solange Ebondji (Cameroon) taught the girls the fundamentals of the game.
These activities promoted core values such as sharing, living together, and peace, highlighting the unifying power of sports in community development.
Batouly Camara, who is part of the 2025 Women's AfroBasket Guinea squad, and Patricia Lorougnon, a former Côte d'Ivoire international player, also interacted with the aspiring basketball players.
The former players were joined by Ruth Bagbi, a Peace and Sport Ambassador, seven-time African taekwondo champion, and two-time Olympic bronze medalist, who gave an inspirational speech about the role of sports in promoting social cohesion.
The youngsters were split into groups of eight and learned basic drills, passing, shooting, and coordination using equipment adapted for mini basketball, including special hoops and size 4 and 5 basketballs. This ensured a fun and appropriate experience for the young participants.
At the end of the event, the girls, their parents, and coaches attended the 2025 Women's AfroBasket game between Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon. This created an unforgettable experience for the young athletes and reinforced the link between grassroots and elite basketball.
The Mini Basketball initiative is an integral part of FIBA Africa’s development program. The program aims to create a positive and supportive environment in which young people can thrive through basketball. It also works to expand the FIBA family across the continent.
FIBA