50 young women were hosted by the Giants of Africa Festival 2025 for a community outreach event in Huye, Rwanda on Saturday afternoon. Held at Ecole Notre Dame de la Providence Karubanda, the event provided educational resources in a classroom setting and ended with a basketball clinic.
“I’m here today at the women’s event to grow my career and talent, and to take my passion for sport to the next level,” said Ikaza Habayo Nemory Lucky, who was one of the 50 women participating in the event. “I love basketball. It started when I was a child. I grew up loving it, and now it’s something I’m maturing to love even more.”
The women met with local community leaders and coaches including Giants of Africa coach Sarah Chan who facilitated breakout activities and discussions around the power of sport, mindfulness, career development and other important topics. The formal programming ended with a basketball clinic held on the school’s basketball court which was launched last May by Giants of Africa.
“Seeing young women empowered through sports is deeply personal to me, I was once that girl,” said Giants of Africa Coach Sarah Chan. “Basketball gave me confidence and opened doors I never imagined. When I look at the girls who took part in the clinic today, I see future leaders, not just athletes. My hope is that they carry this strength into every part of their lives, knowing they belong, they matter, and they have the power to shape their own paths.”
A similar event was held in all 20 participating countries of the Giants of Africa Festival on Saturday reaching more than 1,000 girls and young women.
The event is part of Giants of Africa’s Women’s Empowerment Initiative, a commitment to ensuring gender equality by breaking down barriers and fostering a new generation of empowered female leaders.
Day 2 (July 27) at Giants of Africa Festival 2025 preview:
The second day of the festival will begin with an International Youth Day Forum presented by ALX, which will bring together 3,000 youth aged 15 to 19 for a day of engagement, education, and empowerment. The youth will hear from multiple speakers including Masai Ujiri (Co-Founder, Giants of Africa), Robin Roberts (Co-Anchor, Good Morning America) and Chiney Ogwumike (WNBA All-Star and ESPN Analyst).
In the evening, the festival’s Opening Show will be held at BK Arena which will include a parade of the 320 Giants of Africa campers as well as thrilling performances by international DJ, Uncle Waffles, award-winning choreographer Sherrie Silver and more.
Giants of Africa Media
Extrasportnigeria 
Leave a comment