Dar City comforts vulnerable children after BAL mission in Rwanda

DAR ES SALAAM: DAR City Basketball Club has donated food supplies to children with special needs shortly after returning to Dar es Salaam from Rwanda, where the team participated in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) tournament.

Dar City reached the quarterfinal stage of the competition. Upon their arrival, the team was welcomed by Ilala District Commissioner Edward Mpogolo, who joined them in delivering donations to Ashura Orphanage Centre in Vingunguti as part of the club’s commitment to giving back to the community.

Speaking during the donation visit, Mpogolo thanked Dar City for the charitable gesture and congratulated the team for their achievement in the tournament.

During the event, club leaders, coaches, and players handed over food items and other essential supplies to children living at the centre as a gesture of gratitude and thanksgiving to God following their participation in the BAL competition.

Dar City head coach Mohamed Mbwana said that although the team failed to reach the semifinals, they were proud to have represented Tanzania on the African basketball stage.

“We fought very hard. We did not manage to reach the semifinals, but we are proud to have represented Tanzania well in this major BAL tournament,” he said.

Mbwana added that the team’s success was made possible through strong support from the government, fans, and sports stakeholders across the country.

The coach also thanked the club president, Musa “Mzenji,” for his investment in the team and its young players.

“We thank all Tanzanians who stood behind us and supported us. We believe this achievement will motivate us to prepare even better and come back stronger next year to continue raising Tanzania’s flag high,” he added.

President of the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF), Hasheem Thabeet, said the federation would continue promoting a culture of community support, noting that sports play an important role in uniting people and giving hope to young people.

“This is a tradition we want to continue every year during the Eid period as a way of showing love to the community,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ashura Foundation officer Waziri Said thanked Dar City for the support, saying the donation had encouraged and comforted the children living at the centre.

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He said the centre, which currently cares for 24 children, has been supporting vulnerable children, some of whom have already reached higher education levels.

“Our centre is legally registered under Tanzanian law, and we are very grateful for this support. We pray for Dar City to continue performing well and representing Tanzania internationally,” he said.

He also called on sports stakeholders to continue supporting children with basketball talent so they can achieve their dreams.