By Pauline Luba
A decade ago, the paths of Bwambale Kennedy, who was preaching the gospel, and Ekirapa Zachariah, who had a passion for playing basketball, crossed. At the time, Bwambale was using music, art and sports to help youth identify their purpose in life. Ekirapa’s great skills in playing basketball made him a natural fit for Bwambale’s programs. 

But it was not through basketball that Bwambale first met Ekirapa. The latter had been interested in joining the music classes of the former.  It was from there that Bwambale convinced Ekirapa to try out his skills in basketball, too. At the time, Ekirapa was a Senior Two student at Blessed Victor Senior Secondary in Mityana district located in central Uganda.

Since that meeting between Ekirapa and Bwambale, the two have influenced youth behaviour change for years through Holy Street Basketball, an academy that they started. The initiative also helps nurture talent, restore hope and transform lives, especially among children living in slums in Kampala. After setting up the academy, they began reaching out to families during holidays to interest the parents in letting their children learn basketball.

Ekirapa is one example of talent nurtured through the academy. Despite being one of the founders of the academy, Ekirapa also has been one of its beneficiaries. Presently, the 24-year-old plays basketball for the UCU Canons, a basketball team of Uganda Christian University (UCU). The UCU Canons, one of the most successful basketball teams in Uganda, plays in the country’s premier basketball league, the National Basketball League (NBL), with several championships under its belt.

The Holy Street Basketball academy focuses on training the youth on skills in basketball by professionally-trained coaches. It also holds regular camps and tournaments, where the children showcase their skills and promote healthy competition. 

During the camps, the academy also conducts workshops to promote self-esteem and training in life skills. According to the organization’s website, the workshops address topics such as communication skills, teamwork, nutrition, health and conflict management, among others.   

“The academy will produce the best players in Uganda. It’s going to change basketball in the country,” Ekirapa, who was raised by a single mother, said during the interview. The Holy Street Basketball Academy is part of the Holy Street Outreach International, a non-profit organisation. Bwambale is the Executive Director of the non-profit, and Ekirapa is a volunteer.

Auma Angella is another of the success stories of the academy. In 2020, Akello Daphne went to train in basketball with Auma, her 13-year-old sister. Often, Auma would sit by the side, watching her sister on the court. However, Auma’s consistency in going with her sister for the training drew the attention of the coaches, who urged her to join the court too. She hesitated. However, after the coaches gave Auma a nudge, on August 1, 2020, she tried out her skills in basketball. Just after three months on the court, the coaches in the academy had noticed the talent that Auma possessed. 

Because of that exposure, she got a full scholarship to study at St. Noah Girls Secondary School, Zana, near Kampala. 

In October 2021, Auma was invited to Uganda’s Under-15 national basketball team for girls to participate in the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) U15 Skills Challenge. The tournament took place in Uganda. 

Last year, Auma’s school, Buddo Secondary School, won the Africa Schools Sports Federation 3×3 in Morocco. In the tournament, Auma was named the Most Valuable Player. 

There are many other players who have secured scholarships through the skills they acquired at the basketball academy. Ekirapa is one of them. In May 2024, he joins UCU to pursue Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration. He recently completed his Diploma in Arts and Design from the Michelangelo College of Creative Arts Kisubi near Kampala.

Ekirapa, the son of Ekirapa Godfrey, who is self-employed, and Ekirapa Harriet, a school bursar, is the third born of six children. 

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