KAKUMA (Kenya) – The day might not be far off when Kakuma (Swahili for "Nowhere") refugees will be seen everywhere, playing basketball on the world stage. Inside the sprawling Kakuma camp in northwest Kenya, a general sense of despondency inevitably pervades the semi-arid air.
Initially sheltering displaced refugees from neighboring Sudan and Ethiopia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) settlement established in 1992, now accommodates over 300,000 asylum seekers from over ten different countries.
Situated within Kenya’s poorest county with sparse natural resources, friction between the refugees and the local host community is common.
Battling day-to-day survival needs, basketball seems like a distant mirage, a normalcy none of the many unaccompanied minor refugee children dare dream of. Against all odds, the game has found a home in this unlikely and hostile environment.
In Kakuma, Basketball For Good means ‘Basketball For Refugees and Displaced People’.
Refugee Hoop for Hope project
Under the FIBA Foundation’s Propose A Project program, a record 332 applications were received in 2025, out of which 73 projects have been selected. Support has been provided, and the beneficiaries have gradually started implementing their projects.
Among these beneficiaries is Kenya’s Refugee Basketball Initiative (RBI) in Kakuma led by Lich Gatkoi.
Basketballs and a financial grant have been made available to RBI to power their ‘Refugee Hoop for Hope’ project, which aims to use basketball as a tool for social impact and youth empowerment.
“The event brought together 120 youth from different parts of the Kakuma Refugee Camp and host community, where they participated in skill development sessions, team-building exercises, and motivational talks,” Gatkoi tells FIBA Foundation.
Led by coaches John Kong and Nunu Chol, the project served as both a launch platform and an introductory engagement for the participants, focusing on promoting teamwork, discipline, and the power of basketball to bring people together.
When the Game Opens Doors
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, one of the most heart-warming stories was the qualification of the South Sudan men’s basketball team. In the warmup to the main event, the side nearly beat USA, an 'almost-upset' of gigantic proportions.
For the young Sudanese refugees in Kenya, the South Sudan men’s national team represents something bigger – hope for a brighter future.
But they did not need to look beyond the border for inspiration. Their own camp colleague Chuol Chatiem is a tangible symbol of positive transformation through basketball.
Yearning for quality education but hobbled by limited opportunities, Chatiem joined Refugee Hoop for Hope with burning enthusiasm. Through the training sessions and mentorship, he not only developed his basketball skills but also grew in confidence, teamwork, and leadership. His talent and dedication caught the attention of Coach Kong, who connected him to a national high school in need of a player. Today, Chuol is a proud scholarship recipient, studying at St. Joseph’s Rapogi National School. His story represents how sports can open doors where opportunities seem closed.
More girls than boys
Of the 120 youngsters aged 12-24 who joined the inaugural activity, a whopping 70% were girls. This aligns perfectly with FIBA's strategic priority, "Women in Basketball".
At an indirect, ‘broader’ level, an estimated 500+ community members – including parents, local leaders, coaches, and spectators – benefited from the messages of unity, inclusion, and empowerment promoted through the project.
Special guest ambassadors such as Astone Ananda from the UNHCR Youth Protection Office shared powerful messages of peace and personal growth.
Expanding Resources
"One of the main challenges was managing 120 youth on a single basketball court proved very difficult. In Kakuma and across Turkana County, there isn’t a double or standard basketball court, and most existing courts are tarmac, making them less ideal for safe and structured play," Gatkoi notes, while highlighting how his team is adapting by running activities in smaller groups.
The goal is to now sustain the project by establishing a volunteer network, create local fundraising initiatives, and invest in capacity building for coaches and mentors to ensure continuous skill development for the youth.
Applications for the FIBA Foundation’s 2026 Propose A Project will open in early January.
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The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.
The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.
FIBA