Basketball fans can catch NBA stars and Chinese national team players in action at the charity event. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

A basketball game organized by Yao Ming and his charity foundation will take place at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center on Aug 21 in support of the former NBA player’s project titled “Yao Foundation Hope Primary School Basketball Season”.

Founded in 2012, the project aims to create chances for children in rural parts of China to play basketball and learn about sportsmanship. By 2014, a total of 151,500 children from 186 schools in 22 provinces and cities had participated in this Yao Foundation program. This year, 171,000 students from 342 schools have enrolled in this unique basketball season.

The charity match will also mark the fifth time that basketball players from the US All-Star Team and those from the Chinese men’s national basketball squad are getting together for the project. The event, which has the tagline “I want to play in the match”, will also feature a segment where the best players from this year’s primary school season get to showcase their skills to the audience.

The funds raised from the ticket sales will be used for the construction of the Yao Foundation Hope Primary Schools, teaching equipment in poverty or disaster-stricken areas, improvement of school conditions, as well as to create opportunities for children to learn how to play basketball.

“The game is not just a charity platform for needy children to have their basketball dreams come true, but also a channel to gather love and hope with the help from media, enterprises, basketball players and the public,” said Yao, widely recognized as China’s most successful basketball player.

“We are very encouraged seeing the delighted smiles from these children when they play basketball on courts which allow them to be mentally fit and optimistic,” added the 34-year-old.

Since its establishment in 2008, the Yao Foundation has helped more than 10,000 children in rural parts of China via the 17 Hope Primary Schools and one special education school that the organization has built. The foundation has also helped improve the standard of education for children by partnering with leading Chinese and multinational companies to build libraries, computer rooms, kitchens and sports and exercise areas in local schools.

yuran@chinadaily.com.cn