WEST SUMBAWA (Indonesia) – The pristine island of Sumbawa echoed with peals of laughter and the sounds of bouncing basketballs.
After Timika, Mataram and Kulon Progo, Basketball For Good in Indonesia had docked at Taliwang, in West Sumbawa.
From November 5 to 7, nearly 600 children aged between 10 and 12, from across 20 schools and local clubs, joined hands (and at times feet!) in fun and educational hoops sessions designed to enhance both physical skills and personal character.
The activities were inspired by the Hoops for Health and Well-Being Playbook developed by FIBA Foundation.
The goal is to use basketball as a tool to raise awareness and combat the high incidence of non-communicable diseases in the Pacific Island regions.
Collaborative Effort
Organized by FIBA Indonesia, in cooperation with PERBASI West Sumbawa (i.e. West Sumbawa Regency Basketball Association), supported by Amman Mineral, and strengthened further by the West Sumbawa Government Administration, this was the fourth Basketball For Good program in Indonesia.
Their involvement created a strong foundation for delivering a meaningful and well-organized activity for the local community, reflecting a shared commitment to investing in grassroots development and expanding opportunities through sport.
Throughout the three-day event, the sessions emphasized key values such as cooperation, responsibility, fair play, and healthy habits.
Besides the students and teachers from the 20 West Sumbawan schools, there was also representation from local basketball clubs such as Barema Basketball Academy, Gipsy Academy, Monster Jereweh Basketball Club and Maluk Basketball Club.
Creditably, there was near equal participation of genders.
Overall, nearly 1200 students and almost 100 teachers and coaches have been directly impacted by Basketball For Good in Indonesia.
Underserved regions
The success of the latest program in Sumbawa Barat (i.e. West Sumbawa) has highlighted how strategic partnerships between the private sector and sports institutions can broaden access, inspire positive behavioral change, and strengthen community connections—especially in regions where structured sports opportunities are still limited.
“This initiative has been part of our discussions for the past three years, and we are proud to see it come to life this year. It began with the West Sumbawa Basketball League and reflects our development strategy, particularly our focus on nurturing young athletes," Aji Suryanto, Senior Manager Social Impact, Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara, said.
Through this program, we hope students from West Sumbawa can grow into competitive players and eventually represent the region and Indonesia at the national level.
While 2025’s Basketball For Good programs mainly targeted the eastern part of Indonesia, 2026 will have the center of Indonesia as its focus area, specifically Sulawesi and Kalimantan islands.
Indonesia’s first Basketball For Good session for 2026 has been planned in Ambon, in 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