KIRIBATI - Even though most people could not point out his country on a map, Maate Arobati smiles when he thinks of his home country and its people. Made up of 33 coral atolls stretching along the equator in the South Pacific, Kiribati (Kiri-bas) is relatively unknown to the wider global community. Yet, Maate and the Kiribati Basketball Federation (KBF) are finding a unique way to make their mark in the basketball world.

Maate is the recently appointed Hoops for Health (H4H) Coordinator and facilitates the delivery of a health-based basketball program for women and children in the country’s capital, Tarawa. Hoops for Health has been active in Kiribati since 2015 and is really making strides in the community. “I believe the program is very important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle for the people of Kiribati and for our future.”

“I am very happy to see that most of the Kiribati people nowadays, especially the kids and women, are now experiencing a lot of changes in their lifestyle through Hoops for Health.”

Traditionally a very male dominated sport in Kiribati, women and children are now flocking to the courts to find out how they can get involved. “The involvement of women and kids in basketball is rapidly increasing. In particular, the 3x3 format of basketball is now popular within schools, ministries, churches and communities!”

The Hoops for Health program uses the 3x3 format of basketball to engage participants in physical activity. “It’s the perfect game for a country as small as ours,” Arobati commented. “We only need half a court, and with limited facilities, we can run more games at once than the traditional 5 a side. More recently, we ran an inter-school 3x3 Festival where 12 schools turned up to compete for the title of champion.”

The Hoops for Health program then uses the opportunity to inform participants about the benefits of engaging in regular physical activities and proper nutrition. “Women in our programs have told me that they like not only learning basketball skills, but learning messages on healthy living and methods of reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases.”

For some of the kids of Kiribati, the message is not so complicated.

“Sometimes learning in the classroom is very boring,” says Class 6 student, Tenanoia. “So when I’m playing basketball outside, I am feeling so happy, laughing and watching my classmates practicing. Therefore, Hoops for Health is good for me!”

With 3x3 now on the agenda for Tokyo 2020 Olympics, who knows, maybe Maate and his team will really put Kiribati on the map!

The Hoops for Health program in Kiribati is supported by FIBA and funded by the Australian Government’s Pacific Sports Partnerships.

FIBA