From Broken Court To a Beacon of Hope

In the heart of Tripoli, Lebanon, sits a basketball court unlike any other. For years, it was cracked, unsafe, and nearly forgotten. But to a small community of wheelchair players, it was everything. It was the one place they could come together, play, and belong.

When we first came across this court at the Forum for the Rights of People with Disabilities in Tripoli, we saw a canvas for art, a home for community, and a chance to prove what we believe in: that good company changes lives. For more than three decades, the Forum has given people with disabilities in North Lebanon a space to gather, play, and belong—often with little funding and few resources. But where support falls short, that’s where we step in, helping to rebuild not just a court, but a place of safety, pride, and enduring hope.

Over the past month, we partnered with local NGO Catalytic Action and worked side by side with artists, builders, and players to rebuild this court from the ground up. We tore down dangerous ramps and rebuilt them with safety in mind. We levelled cracks, installed new benches, backboards, and fencing. And finally, we turned the floor itself into something bigger: a giant mural celebrating the resilience of the people who play here.

The mural, painted by Lebanese artist Roula Abdo, shows a powerful bear in a wheelchair — a symbol of strength, dignity, and joy for a community that refuses to be defined by struggle. The wall around the court was painted too, not by professionals, but by the players themselves. Their stories, their symbols, and their hands brought this place to life.

For people like Kareem, who once suffered a concussion falling off unsafe ramps, or Waleed, who crawls down 200 meters of stairs every day just to reach his wheelchair, this court is more than a place to play. It’s proof that the world can adapt to them, after a lifetime of being asked to adapt to the world.

This project is just the beginning. It’s the first in a global series of court restorations we’re building across Indonesia, South Africa, Australia, and the United States — each one tied to a cause, each one creating safe spaces where hope can grow.

We call it the global team for good.

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about art or sport. It’s about people. It’s about showing up. And it’s about proving, together: We’re all gonna be okay.