SOL’s contribution
With a continued support from The SOL Foundation, Basketball Leben will be able to expand the existing project and to provide a variety of positive changes within the Szekler minority and between different communities.
Basketball Leben (2023)
Romania
2024
In brief
The SOL Foundation continues and expands the existing co-operation with improved structures and more sustainable programme elements using the sport of basketball. Basketball Leben helps to educate young people to become strong and responsible citizens and promotes integration in the community – to enrich the future of the region in many ways.
Problem to be tackled
Bögöz is a community in Szeklerland in Harghita County. Szeklerland is a region in eastern Transylvania inhabited mainly by Szeklers, the Hungarian minority of Romania. The Szeklers maintain their own culture and speak Hungarian. Politically, they argue for more autonomy. Even 16 years after Romania joined the EU, poverty is widespread, especially in rural regions.
Local partner
Economic hardships have led to a lack of activities for children and young people, especially when it comes to sports, culture, and education outside of the regular school curriculum. Physical education in school takes place in a small classroom that hardly serves the purpose. There is nothing to do after school – which means that children are often left to their own devices.
Basketball Leben’s initiative aims to promote children and young people and support them on their way to becoming independent and strong personalities. This development not only helps to increase young people’s prospects for a successful future, but also enables them to give something positive back to their communities. This is crucial when strengthening the region in the long term.
Beneficiaries
In Bögöz, the primary goal is that all residents, especially the young population, can benefit from the activities. Basketball Leben is committed to supporting and encouraging children and young people to discover their own abilities and potential, to become self-confident and solidary people and to act independently.
Basketball Leben, established in 2015, is a registered non-profit-organisation and association in Munich, Germany; initially it was an initiative under the BC Hellenen München e.V., a basketball club also in Munich.
