TARAWA – Our day to day commitments can make it hard to hold onto our passions and our hobbies. Often these are the first things to be neglected when we are too busy or experience challenges in our life.

No matter who you are, where you come from or what you do, sometimes everyday life and or challenges gets in the way. This is the case for one local dentist in Kiribati’s capital of Tarawa.

As a young child, he loved to play basketball with his friends. He couldn’t get enough of the sounds the ball makes when it bounces on the concrete or swishes through the net. Playing all the way up until he decided to attend medical school, this is when the basketball stopped.

Long days of classes and long nights of study make it hard to fit in anything else. It makes it hard to stay active and exercise.

"When he returned from medical school he had gained weight and felt uncomfortable playing so he quit basketball," said Kiribati Basketball Federation (KBF) Hoops for Health (H4H) Administrator, Takabara Raurenti.

The KBF is using 3x3 basketball to get more people involved in the sport. Through the Australian Government funded H4H programme, the KBF has been running mass participation 3x3 events throughout Kiribati.

One such event was the Inter-Ministry 3x3 Basketball Tournament. A number of government ministries registered teams for the event, one of which was the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

This sparked the interest of our dentist. "He was able to participate in the Ministry 3x3 tournament representing his good Ministry which is the Ministry of Health and Medical Services," added Raurenti.

FIBA's Catherine Grawich manages the H4H program in five (5) countries throughout Oceania and Asia. Grawich commented on the amazing work that the KBF are doing with the programme.

"Being able to help someone reconnect with their passion and chose a healthier lifestyle is an amazing feeling. I am very proud of the work the KBF is doing with the H4H programme, especially when I hear stories like this."

FIBA