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WHAT’S SLUMS DUNK

Slums Dunk is much more than a sports project: it’s a mission.

The name comes from a play on words between “Slam Dunk” and “Slums”, reflecting our goal:

To improve the living conditions of young people in economically and socially degraded areas.

In 2014, we built our first basketball court in the Mathare slum in Nairobi (Kenya).

Slums Dunk is a non-profit volunteer organization, regularly registered in the National Third Sector Registry (RUNTS) under Registry No. 105519 of 09/03/2023.

UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

Sport is a universal language, capable of uniting people beyond any barrier.

Basketball, in particular, demonstrates that anyone can play: all you need is a hoop, a ball, and the motivation to jump and shoot.

Sport is not just competition: it’s a means to spread culture, values, and skills, offering opportunities for growth even in the most challenging contexts.

OUR VISION

We firmly believe that basketball is much more than a sport: it’s a powerful tool for change, capable of improving the lives of children and young people facing conditions of social disadvantage, vulnerability, or discrimination.

Through sport, we promote inclusion, equality, dialogue between cultures, and new opportunities for growth.

OUR MISSION

We are committed to involving children and young people from vulnerable contexts around the world in our inclusive Basketball Academies.

We work in synergy with local organizations to offer programs that integrate basketball with pathways for developing life skills and community empowerment.

We reclaim abandoned or neglected spaces, transforming them into playgrounds open to the community, where sport becomes a vehicle for educational, inclusive and community-building activities.

ACTIVITIES

Basketball was chosen as a vehicle to engage, mobilize and attract young people, and is used daily as a means to promote life skills education in disadvantaged areas of Africa.

Special attention is devoted to gender equality and the direct involvement of both girls and boys in activities.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Rehabilitating or building basketball courts where there is a lack of adequately equipped sports infrastructure

BASKETBALL

Providing free access to basketball practice for children and youth in disadvantaged areas of Africa

EDUCATION

Reducing exposure to risks for young beneficiaries by providing them with quality life skills education

AWARENESS

Promoting the development of local communities through awareness activities

PROJECTS

Over the years, our commitment has come to life in different locations, with academies and initiatives launched in Kenya, Zambia, and Argentina.

In parallel, we are working on a series of initiatives that will also feature Italy, to spread the values of sport and change everywhere.

KENYA (MATHARE)

Two years of experience in the slums of Nairobi led us to a concrete dream: creating our basketball court and founding the first Basketball Academy of Slums Dunk.

We started in a complex reality: a slum with over 500,000 inhabitants, lacking sports facilities and with few recreational opportunities for young people after school.

Thanks to Slums Dunk, today hundreds of boys and girls can access sports activities every day that not only provide moments of joy but also transmit the true values of sport.

We are not alone in this mission. Our partners are dedicated to health and school education, helping to form an extraordinary team. Together, we work to improve the living conditions of the community, one step at a time and in every aspect.

ZAMBIA (NDOLA)

Ndola, in northern Zambia, on the border with Congo: a different place, but with similar challenges.

Unlike the frenzy of Nairobi, Ndola is a quieter city, without traffic and with a slower pace of life. However, the degradation and daily difficulties in the slums remain the same.

In 2017, Slums Dunk arrived here with a clear goal: to bring hope and opportunity through sport. In the Nkwazi slum and in the rural area of Minsundu, we regenerated two basketball courts, giving life to two new Basketball Academy programs in collaboration with our local partner.

Today, nearly 500 boys and girls train every week under the guidance of coaches we have trained over the years. For them, basketball is more than a game: it’s a path to a better future.

ARGENTINA (BAHIA BLANCA)

In 2018, Slums Dunk arrived in Argentina, opening a new chapter in Bahía Blanca in collaboration with Club Pueyrredón, with the aim of uniting different cultures and promoting sport as a tool for social change.

Among the most significant projects is the Valientes group, led by coach David and dedicated to women’s basketball. This team was created to establish a healthy and supportive environment, helping those facing difficult times to overcome isolation and regain energy and confidence through teamwork.

In 2020, during the lockdown, we renovated an abandoned area, transforming it into a new sports facility. Additionally, by collaborating with the Centro Loyola, we are developing sports activities and improving facilities to support the local community.

In Bahía Blanca, our commitment is ongoing: sport remains the driving force for building a more inclusive and supportive future.

ITALIA (MILANO)

The project aims at social and urban regeneration through sport, using basketball as a tool for inclusion and community growth.

In Milan, at Viale Stelvio, corner of Via Paolo Bassi, the intervention combined the structural redevelopment of the court with a socio-educational program, designed to involve local youth in unstructured sports and recreational activities, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity.

The court has become a reference point for the community, thanks also to the work of artist Francesca Cassani, who curated the artistic part of the project, with the support of numerous volunteers who transformed the space into a welcoming place for everyone.

ITALIA (LEGNANO)

The new Slums Dunk and Legnano Knights basketball court at Falcone and Borsellino park in Legnano was created to offer young people a safe space to practice sports, socialize, and grow together.

Realized thanks to the generosity of citizens, businesses, and local associations such as the Rotary Club, the Lions Club, and Panathlon, the project raised over 50,000 euros for the flooring and hoops, with additional funds allocated to complete the structural details. The court design, created by Francesca Cassani, and the volunteer work of young people from Legnano Basket highlight the spirit of collaboration that made this initiative possible.

Today, the Slums Dunk and Knights court is ready to welcome children and families, becoming a reference point for the Legnano community. Through sport, we aim to continue building a present of inclusion and a future of opportunities.

DREAMS

Behind a dream like this there is a tremendous amount of commitment, work, dedication and above all passion.

DREAMING IS A RIGHT

Slums Dunk wants to give everyone the chance to realize their dreams. Without leaving anyone behind.

Even those born and raised in the most difficult contexts deserve to dream big: they do it through a ball, a hoop, a playing field, the guidance of their coaches and the smiles of their friends.

DREAMING IS GOOD

Slums Dunk was born with the aim of improving the living conditions of boys, girls and young people in areas where destiny seems to work against them from the very beginning.

Through sport, young people learn values such as solidarity, commitment and perseverance. Basketball serves as a school of life that carries with it the desire to raise the eyes, hearts and destinies of children and youth: a winning slam dunk towards a different future and possible dreams.

DREAMS ARE PLANNED

Bruno Cerella and Tommaso Marino personally oversee every project in each phase of implementation. Since 2011, they spend part of their summers in the Slums that host the Basketball Academies in Kenya, Zambia, Argentina, and Italy.

Of fundamental importance is the encouragement and training support for local coaches, who together with sport are the true “architects of dreams” capable of shaping future teachers, engineers, doctors.

DREAMS FULFILLED

JAVAN

Born in: Masaba, Kenya

I am very attached to my mom, whom I adore. Unfortunately, my environment didn’t allow me to study and fulfill my potential in my country.

When Slums Dunk became part of my life, it helped me discover my love for basketball. My dream is to succeed in my studies and become a professional player. And this is exactly what is becoming reality!

Today I am in Italy, where in addition to discovering a love for coffee, I continue to cultivate my personal and athletic passions, playing on a professional team.

TEDDY

Born in: Mathare, Kenya

I grew up in the second largest slum in Nairobi, Mathare. My mom was a teacher and my dad was a paint seller. They worked while I studied and dreamed, and I still dream of becoming a professional NBA player.

It’s thanks to Slums Dunk that I started practicing my passion in 2013, and thanks to them I am now in the United States, where I attend college with a sports scholarship, living my dream firsthand.

MILTON

Born in: Mathare, Kenya

I started playing basketball at the age of 12 thanks to the Slums Dunk Basketball Academy. It didn’t take long before doors opened for me: at the age of 15, I received a scholarship to go to the United States to study and play basketball.

I am still in the United States where day after day I grow as a student and as a basketball player, looking forward to becoming a professional and showing my friends back home that everything is possible if you put your heart into it.

TEAM

Discover all the people who are part of the Slums Dunk world!

BRUNO CERELLA

President/Founder

Born on 30/7/1986 in Bahia Blanca, Argentina.

I was born in a city where basketball is a way of life. One of those few places in Argentina where you pick up the ball and shoot it at a basket instead of kicking it. I started playing basketball when I was 4 years old and also practiced swimming, tennis, and handball until I was 17. At 18, I accepted an offer to come play in Italy, in Massafra, to experience life through sport.

Basketball has allowed me to experience wonderful things, learn about different cultures, grow both on and off the court, and meet people I will always keep in my heart.

My way of thanking sport is through Slums Dunk, dedicating time to our projects and trying to create something sustainable that can create opportunities and improve the living conditions of new generations (and not only) who are born and grow up in disadvantaged areas of the world!

TOMMASO MARINO

Vice president/Founder

Born in Siena on 5/2/1986.

I’ve had a basketball in my hands since I was 4 years old.

With Bruno, I founded Slums Dunk, laying the foundations for this project back in 2011. Today it represents an important part of my life and brings together two great passions: basketball and Africa.

TRASPARENCY

Slums Dunk is a non-profit association regularly registered in the RUNTS (National Third Sector Registry) in the ODV (Volunteer Organization) section under Registry No. 105519 of 09/03/2023.

We are available for further information about our activities.

Here you will find our latest financial statements: