THE Basketball Charity would be launched on Saturday with six teams playing in a special league at the National Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Organising Committee spokesperson, Michael Maluwe, named the teams that would take part in the league as Savio, Vijana, JKT, ABC, Chui and Tanzania Prisons.
Maluwe said they would pick a panel of coaches whom would select players to form the Special women All Stars, Veterans side, as well as Under-15 and 20 teams that would be part of the Charity Day on October 24.
The Charity Day to be graced by President Jakaya Kikwete is aimed at raising funds for basketball development in the country.
Veteran players and those who are active in the sport, basketball stakeholders and fans would also have a chance to participate in the event. Matches involving veteran players, government officials and diplomats will be staged.
The charity organised by the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) would raise funds that would help to promote basketball from the grassroots. TBF patron Augustino Ramadhani had said that the federation expects to raise more than 10m/- from the Charity that would be directed towards construction of five new basketball courts in regions where they lacked the facilities.
He said the federation’s priority is to create conducive environment that will attract more youths into the game. Special cards have been issued to stakeholders for their contributions. A gold card will be sold at 500,000/-, while the silver card will be available at 300,000/- and 200,000/- for bronze card.
Other dignitaries invited for the event, the first of its kind in the country, include the National Assembly Speaker, Samuel Sitta, several ministers, ambassadors and top officials from corporate firms.