M-PESA Jr. NBA heads to Kisumu for Nyanza Regional games

The M-PESA Jr. NBA tournament heads to Kisumu for the Nyanza regional finals this weekend which will be played at the Kenyatta Sports Ground.

A total of 40 teams are expected to hit the court, battling it out for the regional championship in a series of 5-on-5 games.

Winners in both the boys’ and girls’ categories will walk away with smartphones and airtime, courtesy of Safaricom’s M-PESA.

Outstanding players will be scouted to the top 50 boys and 50 girls to attend the elite basketball development camp in April.

Before the games kick-off, the players will also participate in financial literacy clinics organized by M-PESA Go, reinforcing Safaricom’s commitment to empowering young people beyond the basketball court.

“The tournament is important because it reflects what we have been doing through M-PESA since its inception in supporting talents across the country," said Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa.

"We also empower young people through financial literacy through M-PESA GO."

The Kisumu Regional Games come after the Rift Valley Regional Finals, where Uasin Gishu Junior School (Boys) and Testimony Junior School (Girls) were crowned Champions.

In Mombasa region, Aga Khan Academy and Umoja Junior School from Changamwe clinched the title, while in the Nairobi regionals, St. John’s Junior School from Korogocho and Olympic Junior School emerged victorious.

The M-PESA Jr. NBA program is designed to provide basketball development and financial literacy training to more than 10,000 boys and girls across Kenya.