TOUBAB DIALAW (Senegal) – The semi-arid Sahel, a transitional belt stretching across the entire width of Africa, is fighting for survival.
A natural barrier between the northern Saharan deserts and the tropical savannas below, the region, spanning Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east, faces increasing heat stress and water shortage.
Hoops For Green – Senegal is an ambitious attempt to reverse this trend, while also facilitating gender equality.
Conceptualized by Dakar Hoops, 50 girls attended the program in the village of Toubab Dialaw, south of the capital Dakar, that combined basketball lessons with tree planting and reforestation education.
The sessions, in September 2025, were led by trailblazing former Senegalese national team basketball legend Anne Marie Dioh as head coach, supported by other professional players.
Girls aged 10 to 18 years improved their game fundamentals, confidence, and teamwork skills, while being encouraged to take up leadership roles on and off the court.
Participants adopted concrete eco-friendly behaviors, such as proper waste disposal, beach and community clean-up, while acting as “green ambassadors” within their families and peer groups.
The hope now is that these girls will continue to protect their local environments, becoming the next generation of changemakers working towards a more sustainable and healthier planet.
FIBA Foundation supported this project financially and through basketballs that were subsequently gifted to each player.
As the world marks Earth Day, Hoops for Green – Senegal highlights how two United Nations Sustainable Development Goals — climate action and gender equality — can be advanced together through a single Basketball For Good initiative.
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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