Samoa Basketball has been improving girls' and women's basketball through funding from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

The 'Her World, Her Rules' (#HWHR) campaign is one of FIBA's most recognised initiatives in women's basketball and is a unique project and social media campaign aimed at promoting women's and girls' basketball across the globe through various activities delivered in partnership with National Federations. 

"Samoa Basketball has been very fortunate to be a recipient of the FIBA HerWorldHerRules funding and support for the past four years," said Samoa Basketball president Pualele Craig.

"Through the HWHR initiative, we have taken basketball to girls in remote villages and introduced them to basketball for the first time.  This year we ran a basketball clinic in Savaii at Vaiola College.

"The program involved over 40 girls participants ages six-15 years. Alongside our social message - “Be the Change: Choose Respect, empowering girls against bullying” the participants discussed the harmful effects of bullying as well as the positive ways they can exercise their agency to stand up to bullying."

#HWHR is designed to unite women and girls through basketball and help define grassroots projects, targeting schoolgirls aged between six and 15 years. FIBA offers advice and funding for several actions taking place as part of its global strategy.

"It was humbling to see how eager the girls were to be part of a sporting event that was specifically for them.  We are very grateful to Vaiola College for welcoming Samoa Basketball; for seeing the value it has for their female students and supporting this opportunity to promote female participation in sports."

Samoa Basketball hopes to increase the number of girls participating in basketball here in Samoa. 

"Currently our Samoa girls are the highest-ranked Oceania team outside of Australia and New Zealand on the FIBA World Rankings at 48. This is a remarkable achievement by our recent national U16 Girls team comprised of overseas-based Samoan girls."

"Basketball has provided a direct pathway to a full-ride scholarship for one player while several others have landed opportunities to play for NBL1 teams in Australia. We are extremely proud of the talent found in our Samoan diaspora and want to include our local players in the many benefits of participating in basketball.  FIBA initiatives like HWHR support our efforts to develop girls' basketball locally at the grassroots level where it all starts."

This month is to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child. Samoa Basketball is having a free basketball day every Monday in October from 12 pm to 2 pm at Tuanaimato Gym 2. All girls ages eight to 12 years are welcome to come enjoy some basketball fun and celebrate being a girl. They have also included the boys and have a similar basketball day for boys aged eight to 12 years on Wednesdays.