NBA Foundation highlights women's empowerment initiatives globally

In celebration of Women's History Month, two initiatives supported by the NBA Foundation are making a significant impact on young women. These programs are "Power to Girls" and "Shooting Touch." "Power to Girls" focuses on empowering Black and marginalized girls aged 13 to 20 in the Greater Toronto area and Ghana. Through various programs, including personal development and financial literacy, the organization has mentored over 10,000 girls since 2013. They aim to impact an additional 500 youth with new projects running through early 2026. Aisha Addo, the founder, expressed gratitude for the NBA Foundation's support, stating it allows them to enhance their operations and resources for economic empowerment. The organization recently completed a financial literacy workshop series with more than 100 participants. There are plans for a mentorship program in June that will involve over 300 girls from Ontario. Addo encouraged women who want to make a difference to become mentors. "Shooting Touch," which operates in Boston and Rwanda, uses basketball to address health and opportunity gaps for girls and women facing inequalities. Ugo Nwaigwe-Hirschman, the director of domestic programming, highlighted how basketball helps attract participants, while providing valuable life skills in areas like social media usage and goal setting. In Rwanda, Shooting Touch has positively impacted over 10,000 families by promoting gender equality and providing health insurance to participants' families. The NBA Foundation's support has greatly helped Shooting Touch enhance its programs and reach more young people. Nwaigwe-Hirschman also celebrated Christina Pham, a standout player from their AAU team. Pham, who recently won the 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year for Massachusetts, has volunteered in the program and will play collegiate basketball at Fairfield University. This exemplifies the opportunities that Shooting Touch provides for young women. Both organizations are committed to building confidence and creating pathways for success among the next generation of women.