IAMGOLD Sends 100 Burkinabe Youth to Giants of Africa Basketball Camp

Thanks to IAMGOLD’s ongoing partnership with Giants of Africa, another 100 youth between the age of 13 and 18 participated in a two-day basketball and life-skills training camp in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, this summer.

At the camp, participants learned about crucial basketball and life skills directly from NBA personnel and local coaches.

IAMGOLD’s four-year partnership with Giants of Africa, which was signed in 2021, aims to encourage the development of youth through the power of basketball. The program includes: the construction of basketball courts in IAMGOLD’s host countries of Burkina Faso and Senegal, multi-day basketball and life-skills camps in each region as well as two-day mentorship camps, and a women’s empowerment career workshop in Senegal. IAMGOLD’s investment with Giants of Africa totals $1 million over four years.

“We are very proud to see a key objective of the partnership with Giants of Africa, which is to contribute to the development and growth of young talent in Burkina Faso, being realised,” said Souleymane Boly, Interim Country Manager, IAMGOLD, Burkina Faso.

Established in 2003 by NBA Champion and Toronto Raptors Vice-Chairman and President, Masai Ujiri, Giants of Africa has been partnering with companies such as IAMGOLD since that time. To date, over 5,000 youth have participated in basketball camps and 20 basketball courts have been built across the continent.

Giants of Africa aims to build 100 basketball courts throughout the continent — four of them are built in partnership with IAMGOLD — two in Burkina Faso, one in Senegal and one in Mali, if the situation allows. The first one in Burkina Faso was inaugurated in October 2021 in Ouagadougou and the next two are expected to be completed this fall.

“Like Giants of Africa, we believe that basketball is so much more than just a game,” said Oumar Toguyeni, IAMGOLD’s Senior Vice President, International Affairs & Sustainability. “It fosters resilience, focus and accountability – life lessons that extend far beyond the court. The impact that basketball can have on the lives of African youth has inspired us to partner with Giants of Africa.”

“This partnership is an integral part of our company’s comprehensive community development program, which aims to contribute tangible benefits to our host communities by fostering economic growth, improving access to health and education, and investing in sport and cultural projects,” concluded Mr. Toguyeni.