Shooting hoops and building dreams
NBA Family partners with Habitat for Humanity South Africa
NBA Family and Habitat for Humanity South Africa joined hands to build homes for local families in Lenasia South
On Saturday, 5 August, Dirk Nowitzki and Team World took down Salah Mejri and Team Africa, 108-97 in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Africa Game 2017 in Johannesburg. The final score was however “almost a footnote to the rest of the week” (Bobby Karalla, RSS Mavs News), as houses built, basketball clinics coached and relationships forged were the real highlights for both the players and those they connected with.
As part of the NBA Africa Game and Basketball without Borders (BWB), the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) built 10 homes in Lenasia South, Johannesburg with Habitat for Humanity South Africa. 200 volunteers from the NBA family including NBA Players, NBA and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Legends, NBA Coaches, NBA and NBPA executives joined their hearts, hands and voices with the Lenasia South community to build the homes. The NBA have created 47 places to live, learn and play in South Africa
Habitat for Humanity South Africa’s National Director, Patrick Kulati, was on-site and and had this to say, “The NBA Build was a phenomenal experience. It was fantastic to see all the tall basketball stars such as Dirk Norwinski walking the dusty streets of Lenasia South, mixing dakka and building houses for their fellow brothers and sisters. The community welcomed them with open arms. The kids played with- and enjoyed spending time with them. I was moved when I saw them giving away their t-shirts and shoes they had been wearing as the buses were taking them away. Part of their generosity was left in that community. Habitat for Humanity South Africa was truly honoured to host the whole team along with all the dignitaries.”
NBA Cares has partnered with Habitat for Humanity South Africa since 2007, helping to build homes as part of BWB programming throughout Johannesburg in Ivory Park, Orange Farm, Soweto and Katlehong.