BAS to celebrate a decade
The Basketball Artists School (BAS) continues to cater for young basketball players.
Justicia Shipena
The Basketball Artists School (BAS) will reach a special milestone when it celebrates its tenth anniversary on the weekend of 21 and 22 February.
The programme was initiated 10 years ago by German basketball expert Frank Albin, who had been seconded to Namibia by the German government to help develop basketball in the country.
When Albin’s contract expired he didn't want to return to Germany, so he got support from German sponsors and started raising funds for a basketball programme in Namibia.
Albin got support from several German sponsors, from government to the private sector, as well as individual families.
Some of the German institutions that backed the programme included the German Basketball Federation, the German Olympic Sports Confederation, and the German non-profit organisation Isibindi, while the Namibian Ministry of Sport and the Namibia Basketball Federation also supported the project.
BAS started its operations in 2010, but the actual building was inaugurated on the premises of the Katutura Youth Sport Complex on 25 October 2014.
Since then the centre has gradually expanded and now incorporates a classroom, a library, a gymnasium and basketball courts.
According to BAS chairperson Vetumbuavi Veii, the school, whose motto is 'Education First, Basketball Second', has changed the lives of many young people.
Veii said they look at kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, but also those who have potential in basketball. They provide food for them, they go to school then come and have lunch here, then do their homework and then practise basketball. The programme has been very successful and today at least 70 percent of national basketball team graduated from the Basketball Artists School.
“It’s amazing to see how their lifestyles have changed. They are disciplined and respectful, while we even have some who are students at NUST or Unam,” he said.
Ramah Mumba, director of BAS, said they to nearby schools and recruit learners in grades four or five to undergo a three-month trial.
“We look at certain criteria like education and sporting ability, but most importantly their commitment to the programme, because in the beginning we had quite a lot of dropouts, but now it's much better. Many stay on as volunteers or coaches to give back to the community,” he said.
One of the BAS members, Jacobina Uushona, who is currently a student at the University of Namibia (Unam), shed more light on the anniversary activities that will take place.
“We will start at 08:00 on Friday, 21 February when we will focus on basketball, life skills and education. We have invited some members of learners representative councils of schools in the area who will give presentations on leadership, while there will also be a lot of fun activities to teach children about life skills through games,” she said.
There will also be a basketball tournament throughout the weekend, while some of the German sponsors and families will be present on Saturday, 22 February, when they will meet some of their beneficiaries, who will make presentations about how their lives have been changed by BAS. Albin, who was also present, highlighted the importance of education in the programme.
Uushona also shared her time spend at BAS.
“I grew up as the youngest of five children of a single mother and it was very difficult for her to raise us. I joined BAS at the age of 10 and since then they have helped a lot with tuition fees and school material and equipment - they have helped my mom a lot and have been like a family for me,” she said.
Uushona added that after school BAS supported her financially to do media studies at Unam, but after that she got a government loan.
“Now I'm in my third year and I'm loving it. I want to become a public relations officer. I'm getting a lot of experience and also do my internships here at BAS,” she said.
The Basketball Artists School (BAS) will reach a special milestone when it celebrates its tenth anniversary on the weekend of 21 and 22 February.
The programme was initiated 10 years ago by German basketball expert Frank Albin, who had been seconded to Namibia by the German government to help develop basketball in the country.
When Albin’s contract expired he didn't want to return to Germany, so he got support from German sponsors and started raising funds for a basketball programme in Namibia.
Albin got support from several German sponsors, from government to the private sector, as well as individual families.
Some of the German institutions that backed the programme included the German Basketball Federation, the German Olympic Sports Confederation, and the German non-profit organisation Isibindi, while the Namibian Ministry of Sport and the Namibia Basketball Federation also supported the project.
BAS started its operations in 2010, but the actual building was inaugurated on the premises of the Katutura Youth Sport Complex on 25 October 2014.
Since then the centre has gradually expanded and now incorporates a classroom, a library, a gymnasium and basketball courts.
According to BAS chairperson Vetumbuavi Veii, the school, whose motto is 'Education First, Basketball Second', has changed the lives of many young people.
Veii said they look at kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, but also those who have potential in basketball. They provide food for them, they go to school then come and have lunch here, then do their homework and then practise basketball. The programme has been very successful and today at least 70 percent of national basketball team graduated from the Basketball Artists School.
“It’s amazing to see how their lifestyles have changed. They are disciplined and respectful, while we even have some who are students at NUST or Unam,” he said.
Ramah Mumba, director of BAS, said they to nearby schools and recruit learners in grades four or five to undergo a three-month trial.
“We look at certain criteria like education and sporting ability, but most importantly their commitment to the programme, because in the beginning we had quite a lot of dropouts, but now it's much better. Many stay on as volunteers or coaches to give back to the community,” he said.
One of the BAS members, Jacobina Uushona, who is currently a student at the University of Namibia (Unam), shed more light on the anniversary activities that will take place.
“We will start at 08:00 on Friday, 21 February when we will focus on basketball, life skills and education. We have invited some members of learners representative councils of schools in the area who will give presentations on leadership, while there will also be a lot of fun activities to teach children about life skills through games,” she said.
There will also be a basketball tournament throughout the weekend, while some of the German sponsors and families will be present on Saturday, 22 February, when they will meet some of their beneficiaries, who will make presentations about how their lives have been changed by BAS. Albin, who was also present, highlighted the importance of education in the programme.
Uushona also shared her time spend at BAS.
“I grew up as the youngest of five children of a single mother and it was very difficult for her to raise us. I joined BAS at the age of 10 and since then they have helped a lot with tuition fees and school material and equipment - they have helped my mom a lot and have been like a family for me,” she said.
Uushona added that after school BAS supported her financially to do media studies at Unam, but after that she got a government loan.
“Now I'm in my third year and I'm loving it. I want to become a public relations officer. I'm getting a lot of experience and also do my internships here at BAS,” she said.
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