Sept. 4 -- Today was a day for the NBA and its players to step away from the hardwood and see first-hand the dire challenges faced by many youngsters in Africa. It was also a day for one player to make a tremendous donation to his homeland.

After wrapping up their basketball instruction for the day Thursday, Dikembe Mutombo, Olumide Oyedeji, Bob Lanier and the rest of the NBA representatives visited the Ithuteng Trust. The Ithuteng Trust, located in Pimville -- a poverty-stricken township of Soweto -- is a "youth empowerment program" that works to provide at-risk youth with life skills and education. Most of the 2,500 youngsters at the school come from extremely poor families, and the majority are orphans due to political violence, crime and/or AIDS.

The NBA players and staff arrived at the school to much fanfare from the students, who were clad in either school uniforms or tattered rags. As the caravan of athletes arrived, hundreds of children were lined up on the dusty road, singing and cheering in unison for the players.

Prior to visiting the Ithuteng Trust on Thursday, Dikembe Mutombo instructed an Africa 100 Camp attendee during drills. NBAE Images

After introducing the Trust and its founder Jackey Maarohanye, affectionately known as "Mama Jackey" by the students, several of the students put on theatrical performances for the guests. The most stirring play of the day was performed by a 12-year-old girl who re-enacted a scenario in which she was raped by her father. As the play goes, after the mother finds out about the incident, the father murders the mother. Then, when the young girl regains her consciousness, she finds out that her father has impregnated her and transmitted the HIV virus to her.

The re-enactments are used as therapy for the children in order to give them outlets for painful memories, and to show them that there is no shame in what they have been through. After watching the gut-wrenching performance by the young girl, many of the NBA players were moved to tears.

Community activist Dikembe Mutombo was scheduled to speak after the young girl's play. Mutombo, who was visibly shaken by the performance, chose to keep his speech brief. Instead of addressing the ills that plague his home continent, the Nets center pledged $100,000 to the Ithuteng Trust on the spot. This was the largest single donation the Trust has ever received from an individual or a foundation.

Later in the day, Mutombo said he was emotionally drained, but very happy to have visited the school.

"It was really moving to be there, to see all the children's faces," said Mutombo. "Listening to the stories of all these children who have experienced such atrocities at such young ages overwhelmed me with emotion. I felt the need to do something."

The money should go a long way in ensuring the Trust can build on its 13-year history of helping the underprivileged local youngsters.