Through his NGO, the What If Youth & Women Empowerment Initiative, Achiuwa receives matching grants from the NBPA Foundation and USADF to support programming in his hometown of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. 

NEW YORK (June 10, 2024) — The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Foundation and the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) announce the award of their latest matching grants totaling $50,000, matching the $25,000 commitment from NBPA member and Nigerian professional basketball player, Precious Achiuwa. 

Achiuwa began his philanthropic work shortly after being drafted in 2020. He founded What If Unlimited in the U.S. in 2021 to provide opportunities and resources to communities in which he has lived and played, while always keeping his roots – beyond the U.S. – in mind. Each summer, Achiuwa and What If Unlimited have returned to Port Harcourt, Nigeria to host youth camps and community development programming.  

To deepen his community investment in Nigeria, Achiuwa has now established a new Nigerian NGO, What If Youth & Women Empowerment Initiative. The funding from this grant will help kickstart the efforts of What If Youth & Women Empowerment, which focuses on providing workforce development, financial literacy and access to youth sports. 

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue to give back to my community in Nigeria and so many others with the support of this grant,” said Achiuwa. “I strongly believe in the empowerment of women and the positive development of youth in Africa, and I am excited about the opportunities this grant will provide in helping us get started. This is only just the beginning.” 

The Nigerian-based extension will provide Achiuwa an avenue to deepen the impact of his work in Africa through ongoing in-country programs for women and children while creating access to specific African-based funding opportunities, such as grants like these. 

As part of the collaboration with Achiuwa, USADF and the NBPA Foundation will provide capital for community-led initiatives using a 3x grant multiplier structure. Through this structure, What If Youth & Women Empowerment will receive grants of $25,000 from both the NBPA Foundation and USADF, matching Achiuwa’s initial funding of $25,000, for a combined investment of $75,000. 

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the USADF to strategically fund community-led initiatives and development across Africa,” said Erika Swilley, Executive Director of the NBPA Foundation. “It is programs like this that allow NBPA members like Precious to make lasting, meaningful change in the communities that have played such an integral role in shaping them into the global leaders they are today.”   

This latest grant was made as part of a five-year strategic partnership between the NBPA Foundation and USADF to jointly fund development projects supported by NBPA members interested in and committed to development in Africa.  

“We are excited to welcome Precious to our ongoing partnership with the NBPA Foundation, where we support current and former NBA players to serve as agents for social and economic development across Africa,” said Travis Adkins, President/CEO of USADF. “His dedication to empowering women and youth in his home country, Nigeria, resonates with the mission of our work at USADF, and the core values of this partnership, and we look forward to creating lasting impact through this collaboration.” 

Now in year four of the partnership, the foundations and NBPA members, such as Bismack Biyombo, Gorgui Dieng, Serge Ibaka, Zeke Nnaji and now Achiuwa, have jointly donated a total of $375,000 to spur engagement and accelerate philanthropic work with various communities across the African continent, driving sustainable change. 

About the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Foundation: 

Established in 1997, the National Basketball Players Association Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members and providing support and assistance to persons, communities and organizations throughout the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need.  Through grants that match players’ philanthropy and charitable giving, the Foundation highlights and accelerates the real and collaborative work that basketball players do worldwide to build their communities and create meaningful change. 

About the United States African Development Foundation (USADF): 

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is an independent U.S. Government agency established by Congress to support African-owned community and social enterprises which improve lives and livelihoods in underserved communities. Utilizing a community-led development approach, USADF invests directly to provide seed capital and local project management assistance to early-stage enterprises addressing local challenges such as food insecurity, insufficient energy access, and unemployment, with a focus on women and youth entrepreneurship. To learn more, please visit: https://www.usadf.gov/  

Media Contact: communications@nbpa.com