The Chief Executive Officer Steven Din says Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) will support community upliftment by way of programmes in and around the mine site.

Mr Din, who recently offered basketball tips to more than 30 pupils from four government schools in Chingola and the KCM Konkola Trust School in Chililabombwe, said that the inclusion of sport in a child’s development is of paramount importance and KCM will seek to be more involved in the areas of basketball and volleyball.

The basketball tips was part of a series of programmes KCM organised to commemorate Zambia’s Golden Jubilee celebrations – 50 years of independence – and Vedanta Resources Plc’s 10 years in Zambia since it took over the running of KCM in November 2004.

Mr Din, who took part in playing basketball with the students and a community team of adult players said: “We‘ll look to see what we can do to promote basketball and volleyball in KCM and also outside in the schools.”

“KCM already supports sport in the form of football and we will try to expand directly into the community where the young stars get an opportunity as well,” he said.

Mr Din urged the pupils to include basketball as part of their curriculum in order to develop into excellent basketball players for their schools and Zambia. Each of the participants received a branded T-shirt and cap, while two basketballs were given to each of the five schools.

“There are some very promising, budding basketball stars that I can see. Make sure that you just don’t do it today, but you continue to do it even at school,” Mr Din told the pupils, who included an 11-year old girl Helen Zimba.

Helen, a grade 5 pupil at Chingola’s Kabundi Primary School said, “I started playing basketball this year after being introduced to the game by my classmate. I love playing basketball despite being small. I love to shoot. I would like to encourage other pupils to play basketball because it keeps me active.”