News

This trip is a huge investement in the Basketball Power program. Hoops 4 Hope is like a big brother to Basketball Power. After volunteering with H4H just out of high school, Peter Kazickas realized that this module could be adapted in Lithuania. Peter, together with his friends Eli and Aluna, are currently in Harare as well, teaching local children coding.

Arminas, Lukas and Arturas absorbed every minute, every experience and used every chance they got to learn something new in Zimbabwe. They got to participate in practices of younger children, as well as smaller groups of older ones, observed Peter's another initiative, coding class, explored the Zimbabwean landscape and even got a rare opportunity to be a part of an extremely important political change in Zimbabwe.

During the trip coaches were challenged not just to share their basketball and communication skills, but also to show their dance moves to a crowd of "just" 250 program's children. Dance, just like sport, is a universal language and is a huge part of Zimbabwean culture. Arminas, Lukas and Arturas vowed to incorporate dance into basketball practices and life skills lessons back in Lithuania.

Hoops 4 Hope children were excited to meet Basketball Power children through the photo cards Arminas brought for them. Continents and cultures away, Basketball Power and Hoops 4 Hope children could certainly find things in common.

"Hoops for Hope coaches, led by Ngoni Mukukula, are the most incredible people I've ever met," shared Arminas. "They are amazing role models not just on a basketball court, but in a humbe daily life as well. During the day, while children are in school, coaches' responsibilities include taking care of the Hoops 4 Hope facilities and getting ready for practices in the afternoon. And when children gather after school, they dedicate all they've got to changing their lives."

Hoops 4 Hope director Ngoni Mukukula shared in his letter: "Thank you so much for the confidence in the peaceful nature of our people and country. Our friends came at time of a never seen before political transition in our country. They were part of something very big and significant to us. Their visit together with Peter, Eli and Aluna is a big stamp of approval that our country is peaceful and ready to make friends with the rest of the world. We kept Lukas, Arturas and Arminas busy every single day for them to maximize on the experiences. We got them playing a pick up game in Dz on the very first day of arrival. Arminas coached the U/18s and the guys were a good fit. They are easy going fellas who are fun to be around. We look forward to another visit and hopefully, we can bring a top coach from Lithuania and a team to play our community teams. We can learn a lot from their basketball."

Every new opportunity, every experience and exposure make a person grow. Not just program's children, but also coaches need to invest in themselves in order to be able to teach others. The amount of experience and knowledge Basketball Power coaches will bring home to share with others will be the most valuable investmenet in Lithuania's children.