CHIPINGI (Zimbabwe) – At the Tongogara Refugee Settlement (TRS) in Zimbabwe, hope fills the air amidst the sounds of bouncing basketballs.
This is a far cry from when the camp was established in 1984 to house despondent asylum seekers from other African countries fleeing life and death conflict situations.
TRS is now home to the Basketball Against Marginalization and Exclusion (BAME) project undertaken by Tambai Zimbabwe on the outskirts of Chipinge District in Manicaland Province.
Tackling Marginalization
Supported by FIBA Foundation’s Basketball For Good Program, BAME uses the sport as a tool to enhance gender equality among the marginalized refugee community.
By protecting the rights of girls, dismantling stereotypes around their athletic participation, and roping in older disillusioned youth as coaches and mentors, BAME is instilling a sense of inter-generational and inter-gender camaraderie never before seen in Tongogara.
In other words, Tongogara exemplifies the spirit of the United Nations’ International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), celebrated on April 6 each year, aligning perfectly with the 2025 theme of ‘Social Inclusion,’ which highlights the most marginalized groups, including considerations of age, gender, and race.
‘Too Young To Play’
Take the telling case of Mapendo Sadiki, a female refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who joined Tambai Zimbabwe as a youth coach and referee.
“I was told I was too young to play,” Sadiki was quoted as saying last year. Now she is part of a leadership group comprising 16 youth volunteer coaches, 12 youth volunteer referees, and 8 school teachers, that trains 48 girls and 48 boys aged between 9 and 11.
BAME integrates life skills with fun basketball lessons, encouraging a lively and inclusive atmosphere. While dribbling, passing, and shooting skills build players’ confidence, layups and defensive strategies enhance game performance.
Through such on-court activities, the young players are taught about how to safeguard their well-being, embrace respect, teamwork, and empathy, and most crucially, cultivate much-needed conflict transformation, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Increase in Confidence
The impact was clear—participants felt more empowered, with 36% reporting increased confidence in pursuing basketball as a viable career path. There was also a 17% decrease in negative perceptions, and a whopping 46% increase in perceived support from peers, mentors, and family.
Spurred by these success stories, Tambai Zimbabwe now plans to incorporate this Basketball For Good project into its other sports for protection initiatives.
As we mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, let’s remember the power of sport to unite, inspire, and drive positive change. Learn more about how sport promotes peace and development at the International Olympic Committee’s page.
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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