The Ripple Effect: A Story of Community Impact

Communities are the backbone of our society. It is our responsibility to ensure their wellbeing. Sama's contribution to various communities across the world is a reflection of our understanding of this. Our 2022 annual impact report shows that Sama’s focus on our communities is far-reaching.During our early years, Sama collaborated closely with trusted organizations to build relationships with communities that experienced the greatest barriers to formal employment. One of those communities was Kibera, an informal settlement, in Nairobi, Kenya.In 2012, Sama partnered with the Human Needs Project to host a training at the Kibera Town Center, a community-owned resource center offering access to clean water and career advancement services. Our first cohort included 20 students. Sama’s training, then known as Sama School, set it apart from other opportunities because it offered more than just skill building- it provided a direct pathway to employment. Over time we’ve built strong relationships with the community. Today, more than 450 of our team members are from Kibera. Sama is a household name in this community. (The short video documents Sama’s journey and contributions to the Kibera community, as told by an alumnus who was in the initial cohort of the Sama School).This month, we celebrate a new partnership in Kibera- a collaboration with the Center for Transforming Mission (CTM), a community-based organization that trains urban leaders to drive positive transformation within their communities and mentors youth through sports, especially basketball. Through its Highway of Hope program, CTM identifies young and talented players in the community and offers mentorship and scholarship opportunities.CTM plans to construct 16 outdoor basketball courts to serve as spaces for coaching, mentoring, and empowerment of Kibera youth in its sixteen public schools This month, Sama had the opportunity to contribute to and participate in the launch of two new basketball courts, the 5 and 6th courts constructed so far.Sama’s contribution included essential support for the girls' basketball teams, including the team’s uniform and balls. The super-talented girls' team is managed through a local self-sponsored basketball academy. Through the academy, some girls have received basketball scholarships to various high schools in Kenya. One of its talented players represented the team at the 19th edition of the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa camp in South Africa.This collaboration embodies our shared dedication to molding young lives, igniting aspirations, establishing an enduring heritage of empowerment, and generating opportunities that have far-reaching effects. Sama is proud to be part of this initiative that will not only host basketball matches; but will also be a ground for nurturing potential, forging lifelong connections, and elevation of aspirations for our communities.