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Aramco empowers 2026 Yao Foundation Basketball Season, Delivering its 14th revamped court

Aramco officially opens the newly revamped “Shoot For The Future” community court at Longfeng Ethnic Junior Middle School in Enshi, Hubei.

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Group photo of Aramco China Managing Director Nader Al-Arfaj with young players.

From July 27 to 31, the 2026 Yao Foundation Basketball Season National Tournament Finals unfolded in Enshi, Hubei province. As the Yao Foundation’s strategic partner, Aramco empowered in full force—from court revamp to employee volunteering and a STEM lecture—putting “Shoot for the Future” on the basketball courts and into the classrooms for rural youth.

Aramco officially opens the newly revamped “Shoot For The Future” community court at Longfeng Ethnic Junior Middle School in Enshi, Hubei.

Aramco delivers its 14th revamped court in Enshi

On the morning of July 31, prior to the finals’ close, Aramco officially unveiled a newly revamped community basketball court at Longfeng Town Ethnic Junior Middle School in Enshi. It is the 14th court completed under Aramco’s “Shoot for the Future” basketball court revamp project. Aramco China Managing Director Nader Al-Arfaj delivered remarks at the court unveiling ceremony and presented a trophy to the school principal, marking Aramco’s official donation of the basketball court to the school. Representatives from the Yao Foundation, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), the Enshi Prefecture People’s Government and the school attended the ceremony.

Nader Al-Arfaj, Aramco China Managing Director, said: “Aramco and the Yao Foundation launched the ‘Shoot for the Future’ court revamp project with a shared vision: to renovate school and community basketball courts in some regions across China and create safe, welcoming spaces where young people can learn, play and grow. Today, With the opening of this 14th court, we are continuing to turn that vision into reality.” 

The partnership announced in May 2025 aims to build or renovate over 60 rural and urban community basketball and multipurpose courts in three years.  The project aims to inject new energy into community basketball in China while using innovative basketball court materials.

After the unveiling ceremony, CBA players Xu Jie and Zou Yuchen led a lively clinic on the new floor—the first squeak of sneakers on Aramco’s revamped court said more than any metric.

Not just courts: Aramco brings STEM to the Season

On the sidelines of the tournament, employee volunteer Liu Lu from Aramco Beijing Research Center joined the education outreach program, delivering a STEM lecture with the theme of “Petroleum Science and Artificial Intelligence” to young players from Heilongjiang, Qinghai, Fujian and Guizhou. 

 

From Yichun to Enshi: Aramco empowers rural youth through basketball 

Jessica Sheng, Acting Vice President of Public Affairs at Aramco Asia, attends the provincial finals and presents medals to the winning team.

As a long-standing strategic partner of the Yao Foundation, Aramco continues to empower youth through its support of the 2026 Yao Foundation Basketball Season. Deepening this commitment, Aramco served as title sponsor of the Heilongjiang Provincial Finals, held in Yichun, Heilongjiang from July 22 to 24.

Jessica Sheng, Acting Vice President of Public Affairs at Aramco Asia, attends the provincial finals and delivers remarks on behalf of the company.

Jessica Sheng, Acting Vice President of Public Affairs at Aramco Asia, attended the provincial finals and delivered remarks on behalf of the company. She presented medals to the winning team and awarded the MVP prize to the standout player. She also participated in a seminar hosted by the local government and district education bureau, where she shared Aramco's approach to youth development programs.

In recognition of Aramco's continued support, Aramco China Managing Director Nader Al-Arfaj, accepted a Strategic Partnership Recognition Award from the Yao Foundation on behalf of the company during the National Tournament finals in Enshi, Hubei, on July 31.

The National Tournament finals took place in Enshi from July 27 to 31, bringing together 48 teams from 17 provinces, autonomous regions, and Hong Kong SAR for six days of competition. Tuanjie Primary School from Youxi County, Fujian province, claimed the national championship.

Jointly launched by the China Youth Development Foundation, the Yao Foundation, and the Chinese Basketball Association, the Yao Foundation Basketball Season is China's first sports charity initiative designed specifically for rural youth. Over the past 15 years, the program has partnered with more than 80 universities nationwide to dispatch over 9,000 volunteers to upwards of 6,000 rural schools. Through sports volunteer instruction, equipment donations, basketball training camps, and league competitions, it has enabled countless children in underserved communities to grow and find joy through sport. Sustained corporate support—such as Aramco's multi-faceted engagement—has been a key driver in amplifying the reach and impact of this platform.

 

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