The Australia High Commission was pleased to join the chiefs and people of Kokrobite, officials and youth coaches of DUNK! (Developing Unity, Nurturing Knowledge) to launch a Mobile Basketball Project – project aimed at providing safe spaces and opportunity for vulnerable youth to learn, play, and socialize through basketball.

In 2014, DUNK, a youth-led, community-based organization that focuses on giving youth a chance to play and learn essential life skills through basketball, benefitted from funding from the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Programme to roll out its Mobile Basketball Project for vulnerable youth in Kokrobite, Accra. Under the project, about 100 youth made up of boys and girls aged between 14 and 17 years from fishing communities in Kokrobite and two orphanages (Chance for Children Home in Hebron, Nsawam and Orphan Aid in Dodowa) received training in basketball and general life skills.

In a speech delivered at the event, the acting Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Tim Millikan said: “We at the Australian High Commission see the value of sport as a trigger for personal development. Delivered in appropriate ways, sport can serve as a powerful tool for breaking down barriers, promoting self-esteem, and teaching life skills and healthy behavior. We see great value in supporting initiatives that give children opportunities for their personal development.” Addressing the beneficiaries, he said: “I hope that this project opens doors to new opportunities for you and that it contributes to the well-being of your communities.”