JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – August 19, 2026 – Amazon Web Services (AWS) today announced a commitment of AWS AI and cloud technology to support the growth of NBA Math Hoops, a community-based basketball program that empowers youth ages 8-14 to develop foundational math and social-emotional skills through the game of basketball in South Africa. As part of the program, AWS will provide nonprofit organization Learn Fresh with AI tools, cloud infrastructure and technical expertise to bring the basketball-based math education program to 1,000 students in Johannesburg with plans to grow the initiative in several other African countries next year. This builds on a successful 3-year pilot between Learn Fresh and NBA Africa that has already trained educators in South Africa, Botswana, and Mozambique.
NBA Math Hoops is designed to address math learning gaps in Africa, which remain among the most persistent barriers to economic opportunities on the continent. UNESCO estimates that in Sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 90 percent of students aged 6-14 are not achieving minimum proficiency in numeracy.[1] Access to engaging, culturally relevant, and technology-enabled learning tools is limited, and traditional interventions rarely scale across borders, languages, or infrastructure constraints. The NBA Math Hoops program has demonstrated the impact it can have on young people – a randomized controlled trial conducted by WestEd found that students gained 4-5 months of math learning after just 17-24 hours of program exposure.
AWS is providing support through the Education Equity Initiative (EEI), a $100 million commitment of AWS technology and technical expertise to fuel digital solutions for underserved learners globally. AWS services will power the NBA Math Hoops mobile app and game across the continent. Amazon Bedrock will personalize content, such as math challenges, helping to match each student’s learning level and pace. Amazon Translate will localize content into English, Arabic, French, and Swahili, making the program accessible to students across multiple countries in a range of languages. Amazon Quick will give Learn Fresh real-time visibility into student engagement, learning outcomes, and educator performance – data that will inform program improvements and demonstrate impact to funders and governments.
“AWS is committed to helping organizations build solutions that improve lives, and NBA Math Hoops is exactly the kind of program that can make an impact on young people,” said Francessca Vasquez, Vice President of Frontier AI Engineering and Services, AWS. “By combining Learn Fresh’s proven curriculum with NBA Africa’s reach and AWS AI and cloud technology, we can give students in Johannesburg access to a learning experience that is engaging, personalized, and built to scale. This initiative demonstrates what it looks like when technology serves as a force for good.”
From August 20 to September 26, students and educators will access NBA Math Hoops through NBA Africa's network of partners, community-based organizations and schools. To tip off the program, South African educators and coaches will complete a structured training program on August 20, delivered in part through AWS-powered digital tools that will enable them to teach NBA Math Hoops in their schools and communities. The training will be followed by a Her Time To Play leadership and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) workshop for 100 girls on August 22. Following the launch, educators and coaches will deliver the program to young people in their schools and community clubs, using the NBA Math Hoops game to draft fantasy basketball teams, solve algebra problems using real NBA and WNBA player statistics, and compete in a culminating tournament on September 19.
“We believe basketball can be a powerful gateway to education, leadership and opportunity,” said Clare Akamanzi, NBA Africa CEO. “Through NBA Math Hoops, young people develop critical math and problem-solving skills by engaging with the game they love, and our collaboration with AWS and Learn Fresh will help us bring this impactful program to thousands more students across the continent. By combining the appeal of basketball with innovative technology and proven educational tools, we are helping equip the next generation with the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.”
"Learn Fresh believes in the power of STEM education on a global scale. Through this collaboration, we are able to deepen our collaboration with NBA Africa and build upon our foundational work in South Africa and across the continent," said Calvin Sibert, Chief Mission Officer at Learn Fresh.
Schools and community organizations in South Africa interested in participating in the 2026-2027 NBA Math Hoops program can learn more at www.learnfresh.org.
This initiative builds on the NBA's longstanding commitment to youth development and education, using the power of basketball to drive change on issues facing fans and communities by advancing needed resources and proven partnerships.