Hoops 4 Her Kenya Program Narrative
Hoops 4 Her is a girls-centered basketball and empowerment initiative implemented in Kenya in partnership with Global Health Innovations Kenya and Moi University. The program uses sport as an entry point to advance girls’ education, leadership, confidence, and long-term wellbeing. In Kenya, Hoops 4 Her activities are intentionally aligned with GHI Kenya’s broader mission of equity, capacity building, and community-driven development, ensuring that sports-based empowerment is integrated with health, education, and mentorship systems already trusted by local communities.
In 2025, Hoops 4 Her activities were launched in Uasin Gishu County, with a strong focus on the rural community of Kesses, where educational and extracurricular opportunities for adolescent girls are limited. Working through GHI Kenya’s established relationships with primary and secondary schools and its formal Memorandum of Understanding with Moi University, the program engaged school leaders, teachers, parents, and students to ensure local ownership and relevance. The inaugural Hoops 4 Her basketball and empowerment camp, held in August 2025, brought together adolescent girls from surrounding schools and female student athletes from the Moi University women’s basketball team, who served as coaches and mentors.
The Hoops 4 Her Kenya model combines structured basketball skills training with well-developed empowerment education sessions. These sessions focus on goal setting, leadership, communication skills, resilience, academic motivation, and health awareness. Basketball is used not only to build physical fitness but also to reinforce teamwork, discipline, and self-confidence. The program clearly links athletic participation to personal and educational goals, helping girls articulate aspirations for schooling, careers, and leadership roles within their communities.
Global Health Innovations Kenya plays a central coordination role for Hoops 4 Her activities in Kenya. GHI leads community engagement, school partnerships, logistics, safeguarding, monitoring, and alignment with county and national priorities. This linkage ensures that Hoops 4 Her goals are embedded within broader systems strengthening efforts, rather than operating as a standalone camp. The partnership with Moi University further strengthens the model by providing access to female role models in higher education and competitive sport, reinforcing pathways from primary and secondary school through university and professional development.
Looking ahead, Hoops 4 Her in Kenya will expand beyond an annual camp into a broader Female Empowerment Program. This distinction allows for sustained engagement with schools throughout the year, integration of mentorship and life skills curricula, and expansion of partnerships with county governments and community organizations. Planned activities include follow-up basketball training during school breaks, leadership workshops, teacher and coach capacity building, and school-based programming that reaches a wider population of girls beyond camp participants.
Through its partnership with Global Health Innovations Kenya and Moi University, Hoops 4 Her contributes to measurable outcomes in girls’ retention in school, leadership confidence, and goal clarity, while reinforcing community systems that support adolescent girls. The program demonstrates how sports, when intentionally linked to education, health, and mentorship, can serve as a powerful platform for advancing gender equity and opportunity in rural Kenyan settings.
Learn more https://www.hoops4her.net/
Coordinator & Head Coach; June & Hoops$Her Founder Fina Kessler
The impact of the Hoops 4 Her programme has been very visible. It was inspiring to see the girls consistently show up for practice with high levels of motivation and enthusiasm. Attendance improved, and the girls took ownership of the programme, whenever someone missed practice or seemed less committed, the team would come together to encourage and inspire each other. The programme has helped the girls find something meaningful to engage in during their free time. This has reduced idleness and helped them avoid negative influences and risky behaviors. Over time, they became more disciplined, confident, and socially connected. Many of them now demonstrate improved self-esteem, stronger teamwork skills, and a more positive outlook both academically and socially. Overall, Hoops 4 Her has played a significant role in empowering the girls and giving them a sense of purpose and belonging within the Moi University community. At Moi University, through the Hoops 4 Her programme, the girls show up consistently and with commitment. During the holidays, we train thrice a week, and the sessions include basic basketball drills, fitness exercises, teamwork activities, and friendly practice games. These trainings are designed to be engaging while also building discipline and skills. Occasionally, we hold a one-week camp where the girls train more intensively. During these camps, we combine basketball training with small empowerment talks that focus on confidence, leadership, discipline, and positive life choices. We also create space to listen to the girls by collecting their feedback and discussing the challenges they face at school and within the community. Together, we explore practical ways of navigating these challenges and supporting one another. The programme also values feedback from the community, which helps us better understand the issues affecting girls and how sports can be used as a tool for empowerment. Overall, Hoops 4 Her provides a structured and supportive environment where girls feel motivated, heard, and empowered.
