Michael Blackson opened a tuition-free school in his father's Ghanaian hometown; a new community basketball court was added to its campus in 2026

Michael Blackson Academy, a tuition-free school in Nsaba in Ghana’s Central Region, now has a community basketball court on its campus. Giants of Africa, the non-profit organisation founded by sports executive Masai Ujiri, unveiled the facility on 10 March 2026 in partnership with actor and comedian Michael Blackson, who started the school in 2023. The state-of-the-art court gives pupils a modern place to play, train and learn teamwork alongside their lessons. It also shows how a celebrity’s personal investment in his community, a charitable partnership and free schooling can come together to widen opportunity for underserved young people across Ghana.Why a free school in Ghana tackles overcrowded public schools and opens doors for underserved youthThe academy was set up to help address overcrowding in public schools, The Guardian Nigeria reported, while expanding access to education and leadership development. The Michael Blackson Foundation describes it as a free-for-all school for children from underprivileged backgrounds, with classrooms, gyms and computer labs in a safe, modern setting. Sport and music activities run alongside lessons so pupils can develop their talents and interests, and the foundation says the school is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty through education.Blackson has described the school as the fulfilment of something he always wanted to do. At its grand opening, he said it was the greatest day of his life and that foundational education “shouldn’t come with financial barriers”.How Giants of Africa’s Built Within initiative is putting basketball courts across the continentThe Guardian Nigeria reports that the Nsaba court is the 46th built by Giants of Africa and its third in Ghana. It forms part of the Built Within initiative, which aims to create 100 community basketball courts across Africa.Ujiri said in a statement that it was “powerful to see how Michael has invested back into his community”. He described the academy as a place where young people in Ghana can learn, grow and believe in themselves, and said the court will make their education richer. He added that the organisation’s court builds are meant to teach sportsmanship and cooperation while letting children enjoy the game.How donations to the Michael Blackson Foundation open up quality education for children in needThe foundation’s appeal rests on a simple promise that a single gift can change the course of a child’s life. It asks supporters to help children gain access to quality education and reach their full potential, and says donations will allow it to give young people the chance to become leaders in their communities. The foundation also ties giving to the wider goals of building sustainable communities and creating brighter futures.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.