Giants of Africa

What if we traveled not just to explore the past…but the future?

This question guides me.

When you hear me talk about Rwanda, you won’t hear me talking about her genocide past (although it’s a topic essential for every person to immerse in and seek to understand—history repeats).

What you will hear is my excitement for her present and future. Rwanda recognizes her past and has decided to move forward—boldly and decisively.

She focused on her values, strength and story—and built a vision around it. Rwanda is a place where vision and action seem to move in lockstep—whether you are talking about the country, an organization, or an individual.

If only we could all do this well.

But Rwandan inspiration got a little lost over here in the U.S. this past year. 

Media headlines focused on the outbreak of the Marburg virus (9 months ago) and the DRC-Rwanda conflict (3 months ago). Thankfully, both were decisively addressed and resolved (which was less reported by the media).

But that pulsing Rwandan inspiration is as loud as ever. 

Fearing it’s not making its way through the noise, I feel compelled to share it.

Two big things happened recently.

First, Robin Roberts from Good Morning America (GMA) shared her stories from Rwanda—from the positive impact of gorilla tourism to Giants of Africa and the opening of Zaria Court. 

I enjoyed the segments because they went beyond the standard stories about President Kagame and gorilla families to what should be the focus—Rwandan people.

This is important because Robin and GMA have reach. Through a popular morning show, they reach the many Americans who still associate Rwanda with a 1990s story.

The second was the official opening of Zaria Court.

I’ve been anxiously awaiting this since walking the grounds of Zaria Court in a hard hat last December. Through bulldozers and drops of rain, we could see the vision.

Now it’s come to life. 

It’s a place where all can experience African innovation—sports, entertainment and culture—in one dynamic hub. 

Zaria Court is the first flagship project of Zaria Group, Africa’s leading developer of sports, culture and entertainment infrastructure.

In other words, this opening is the first of several on the continent.

Zaria Court is strategically located walking distance between Kigali’s BK Arena and Amahoro Stadium. There’s everything from a boutique hotel and co-working spaces to public courts and curated dining. 

It’s designed to inspire Africa’s young, creative and entrepreneurial generation andattract international visitors beyond the continent.

It’s a physical place that represents Rwanda’s national vision— of being a regional hub for sports and culture. Where African stories are told. Where athletes, artists, and entrepreneurs collaborate.

Zaria Court’s launch coincided with the Giants of Africa Festival.

Giants of Africa uses basketball as a tool to empower African youth to dream big. 

Drawing on his own experiences, NBA Champion and former Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri wanted to leverage the power of basketball to empower and change the reality for boys and girls across Africa.

Twenty years in, he pushed himself to dream bigger, too.

In 2023, they launched the inaugural Giants of Africa Festival. And in 2025, they brought it back—bigger, broader and deeper—uniting 320 young men and women from 20 African nations at Zaria Court in Kigali.

The Festival kicked off on the last Saturday of July—Rwanda’s monthly national day of service Umuganda—and ended a week later with a star-studded concert. In between were basketball camps, all-star games and even a Threads of Africa fashion show.

Yep—basketball and fashion. Together. 

It was glitz, glamour, and ground-breaking. 

Dubbed “A Borderless Africa,” the show was all about tearing down imaginary lines and celebrating the full and rich splendor of African design. 

And it all took place not in a glittering convention hall, but on Zaria Court’s open ground, where reclaimed shipping containers now house boutiques, gyms, and shared spaces for creatives and community.

This was fashion as a signal. 

The message? Creativity can be a calling—even a career.

Anchored in sports and entertainment, Zaria Court is a launchpad for young talent, a gathering place for global exchange, and a beacon for what’s possible when vision meets infrastructure.

Zaria Court isn’t just a venue. It’s a bridge. 

A place leading Africans and Westerners to see Africa differently.

This is why I curate Venture Travel.

To go beyond bucket lists. 

To step into spaces where culture is being created, not just preserved. Where African stories are not only told, but elevated.

This October, I return to Rwanda with a small group as part of Venture Rwanda. 

We won’t just visit the past. We’ll experience this transformation firsthand.

The future isn’t just something we wait for. We wear, build, dream & live it—together.

Inspired to see the world of the future? Join me in Venture Travel. Connect to people and their stories. When you travel differently, you think differently.