Girls in northern Nigeria are able to train, compete, and dream greater thanks to a grassroots basketball effort.
Girls participate in a basketball practice run by Grassroots To Greatness (G2G), which gives young female athletes the chance to practice and compete.
Girls participate in a basketball practice run by Grassroots To Greatness, which gives young female athletes a chance to practice and compete [Courtesy of Grassroots To Greatness].
Growing up in Kano State, northern Nigeria, Khamila Sani Ibrahim recalls that there were few possibilities for girls to participate in organized sports and it was rare to see girls playing basketball.
She had to figure out how to fit basketball around her family’s expectations while she spent school breaks with her grandparents.
“Training for basketball is really difficult for me,” Ibrahim remarked. “I only go out to play when they’re not around, or I tell them I’m heading to the court after visiting some friends.”
Football and basketball have long been perceived as male-dominated sports in northern Nigerian communities. A lack of coaching and funding, restricted access to courts and equipment, and less opportunities to compete are some of the challenges faced by girls who wish to play.
Girls are now able to train, compete, and improve their talents thanks to Grassroots To Greatness (G2G), an organization devoted to female empowerment in sports.
The idea was started by young sports advocate Jawahir Bello, who saw the lack of chances for girls in the area.
