By Wilson Masaka – Wilsen Initiative (Wi), Nairobi, Kenya Mathare North Slums
www.wilseninitiative.wordpress.com
Since inception in the year 2011, I have been in the forefront in Mathare slums promoting soccer
activities either in conducting soccer clinics, life-skills training and mobilizing soccer resources for
community grassroots kids clubs in Mathare North (U10 - U15).
My biggest success has been running an annual soccer tournament for teams of the age between
U10 to U15 years during the Christmas holiday and Easter holiday.
The majority of the children between 10 years to 15 years, are one of the most vulnerable groups
and they lack necessary platforms, safe spaces, mentors and resources to help them pursue their
talents to the best levels they can.
During the festive season the risk of indulging in unwarranted activities rises because schools are
closed and everyone falls into a more festive mood of parties and explorations while the parents
are fully occupied fending for their family and there's no one left to take care of the children.
At least it is a bit safer playing soccer in a team that has a coach who might not have the right
skill set, but they will always find time to provide the necessary guidance away from home.
I started the annual tournament to offer a platform where the children, youth and community in
general would interact in a competitive, safe space, be awarded with the important resources and
most important stay away from bad influences in the community.
In informal settlements like Mathare it's normal routine to find kids roaming the streets engaged
in nothing meaningful.
My intervention through Wilsen Initiative (Wi) platforms, is to help the
children and youth realize their full potential while also finding a meaningful environment to
engage in soccer and life-skills training that would help them grow into responsible citizens.
We use the soccer tournament to sensitize the youth and children on the issues that affects them
directly and indirectly for example, drug abuse, technology, peer pressure, education vs. sports
among others.
Soccer is a great tool that provides a platform for social inclusion while embracing
diversity that promotes a peaceful co-existing of people in the society.
Our main focus is addressing the future generation on how they can be agents of positive change
through their character, behavior and habits (role modeling). Our activities create a platform
where youth leaders, coaches and players interact in a meaningful way with targeted outcomes.
Rarely, the coaches and players receive life-skills training especially off the pitch that would
promote their well being and career development. As Wilsen Initiative (WI) we want to make a
deliberate effort of filling the skill gap through our Skill -UP master classes that train youth and
children in creative and innovative ICT skills, creative arts, creative entrepreneurship, life-skills,
leadership and personal branding (21st Century skills).
My mission is to help the kids play in a more dignified ways using the right resources that will
boost their self esteem and also help them avoid the unnecessary injuries. The soccer tournament
is a way of having fun, learning, healthy competition and an awarding process for the best teams
as per the acquired resources.
I would have wished to award all the teams, but at the moment,
having a tournament is the best way and the most fair way of awarding the needy teams.
Call for Support for Mathare North Festive Season Soccer Tournament 2021-2022 (U11 and U13 teams).
This year's theme will be; Do More, Be More and Be Different.
Goal: - Restoring hope and self drive.
General objectives: Soccer activities
- To encourage peaceful co-existing of people from different diverse background through soccer.
- To promote soccer talent in the community where children and youth participate in meaningful activities that keep them away from different vices like drug abuse and crime.
- Create awareness about playing safe and importance of education and sports.
- Striving for transformation of different realities / stimulating positive change in the society through young people’s talents and skills.
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