Though it’s been a decade since Yannick Atanga last played basketball at Santa Clara University’s Leavey Center, the home court still feels very much like home to him.
“It’s a home away from home feeling you can’t describe and can’t get anywhere else,” Atanga said.
Growing up in Cameroon, he faced the loss of his mother at the age of 12 – a tragedy that made him feel lost. But at 14, he discovered something that helped him regain his footing: basketball.
“It became like my safe haven,” Atanga said. “I think I found peace in it. I found it was a place where I don't have to worry about tomorrow. I don't have to worry about food. I don't have to worry about anything.”
Atanga dedicated all of his free time to honing his skills in basketball. His hard work paid off when he earned the MVP award at a prestigious basketball camp in Cameroon, which secured him a scholarship to a high school in the United States. From there, he went on to become a power forward for the Santa Clara Broncos.
While Atanga adjusted to life in the U.S., he never lost touch with his roots. He thought often of the children back in Cameroon, many of whom were still searching for opportunities like the ones he had found.
To help, he set up a box in the locker room where his teammates could donate their old basketball shoes.
"'Any shoes you don't want to wear anymore, just put it in there,’" Atanga said. "By the end of the season, it's full of shoes and I found a way to ship it home."
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
When injuries forced him to end his college basketball career and made the prospect of playing professionally unlikely, Atanga knew he wanted to do more for the youth in Cameroon.
He remembered the camp that had once changed his life and decided to create one of his own. He called it Impact.
“We did 25 kids the first year. The second year, we did 35, 45. This past summer, the fifth edition, we did 68 kids,” Atanga said.
Today, Atanga works in the tech industry and raises a family in the South Bay, but his commitment to his community in Cameroon continues. For him, it’s all about giving back and showing gratitude for the life he has today.
“Because when one kid gets an opportunity to come to this great country, get a good education, you're not changing only his life, you're changing his whole family’s life,” Atanga said.
