How Bungoma girls have used basketball to build confidence

When 17-year-old Abigail Opicho first watched basketball on her family’s TV, she never imagined that one day, she’d be a rising star with the court becoming her second home.

Now, the Sirakaru Salvation Army Secondary School forward is a two-time Bungoma County Secondary School games basketball champion—and one of seven girls selected for the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) national Top 50 Under-20 camp.

Her journey began in 2023 when her school coach, Wycliffe Baraza, introduced the game.

“At first, I was just curious. But I started training more and fell in love with it,” said Opicho.

“The Usawa Festival helped me sharpen my skills and gave me and my team confidence. We’re now aiming to beat Butere Girls at the regional next month.”

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Opicho was among dozens of girls who gathered at Kibabii University over the weekend for the inaugural Usawa Basketball Festival powered by Imarisha Usawa, an organisation geared towards empowering the vulnerable with focus on girls, women and youth in the community.

The event drew teams from seven schools across six Bungoma sub-counties for two days for basketball, mentorship, leadership training, and open conversations about gender equality.

Sirakaru once again made headlines last week after a dominant 21-6 win against Nalondo in the Bungoma County Secondary School girls’ basketball 3x3 final, affirming their title defence.

But this festival wasn’t just about competition—it was about giving girls the tools and voice to dream beyond the court.

One of the youngest standout players was 16-year-old Farida Wasike, a Form 3 student from Chwele Girls. Inspired by her cousin, Farida picked up basketball three years ago.

“This sport has helped me grow. I want to play for Kenya Lioness or even go pro in the US one day,” she said with a bright smile.

Farida and Abigail are among the seven girls selected by national Under-16 coach Zedekiah Otieno, who also runs the Vikapu Elite Basketball Academy. Otieno used the festival to scout grassroots talent and offered the girls valuable advice on and off the court.

The festival, themed “Advancing Gender Equality through Action and Impact”, also included panel talks, personal branding sessions, and the distribution of dignity packs to the girls.

Elizabeth Waliuba, founder of Imarisha Usawa, believes sports can be a powerful equaliser.

“We’re empowering girls and women not just to play but to lead. I do this because I want to see lasting change where young people are confident to shape their future,” she said.

“We’re not just building athletes—we’re shaping leaders. My goal is sustainable development by empowering girls, women, and youth to rewrite their futures.”