FROM THE BITS AND PIECES :: TRUE STORY :: INSPIRATION :: DREAMS : TEAM

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Football Made Me Series - Play Safe With Dignity

⚽ ❤️ More than 30 years ago I played barefoot; it's unfortunate to see many upcoming stars going through the same tunnel we went through to pursue a career in football.

Wilsen Initiative—Football For Hope, Play Safe With Dignity Campaign.

I want to challenge the vicious cycle by continuing to offer support where I can, mobilising for football equipment for the players and teams U10 - U15 (boys and girls), and more importantly, engaging the parents and training both the coaches and players on how to survive the stiff learning curve.

📌 Mathare North Soccer League - U10.
This year, in conjunction with the junior team coaches, we are running the first junior football league dubbed Mathare North Soccer U10, Next Generation Star, whose main aim is to provide a safe space for players to play with dignity.

So far we are in week 3; it is tough, especially with zero resources plus many other challenges, but I'm determined to see the league through as planned as I pick lessons to make it even better in the next edition.

My aim is to create a better holistic experience for players and coaches in Mathare North, both on and off the field.

You're most welcome to offer any support. The league runs from Feb - May 2025.

📌 Join me today, I'm targeting to connect more than 10 kids with a pair of quality shoes by 1st June 2025.

Fact Files

📍 Since Inception of the play safe and dignity ( football shoes, uniforms, balls etc) more than 700 kids have benefited.
📍 Annually we target at least to reach 50 kids with a pair.
📍 Resource mobilisation is a big challenge but through family and friends contribution we have been able to keep the campaign alive.

Friday, March 7, 2025

9s Self Made Series

Bits and Pieces Life Series +throughMylens © Wilson Masaka

📌 "Self-love and self-care are two great gateways towards achieving your dream" ."—Wilson Masaka, youth advocate and social entrepreneur.

📌 "The best race in life is the one you complete with your former self to become even better." - Wilson Masaka, Youth Advocate and Social Entrepreneur.

9s - SELF MADE ❤️ Bits and Pieces.

📍 Self love

📍 Self confidence

📍 Self care

📍 Self actualisation

📍 Self worth

📍 Self timing

📍 Self-Belief

📍 Self Awareness

📍 self-improvement.

Read More about Self Made Series Bits and Pieces inspired by Wilsen Initiative (Wi) https://wilsenx.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-foundation-of-self-made-series_17.html?m=1

Do More / Be More / Be Different

Wilsenx.blogspot.com

Thursday, March 6, 2025

I'm a T-Shaped

📌 - Online Search

A T-shaped personality is a combination of broad skills and specialized expertise. The term is often used in job recruitment to describe a valuable employee.

Characteristics

📍 Collaborative: T-shaped people work well with others.

📍 Versatile: They can apply their knowledge across many disciplines.

📍 Adaptable: They can learn new skills and adapt to changing situations.

Examples of T-shaped skills

communication, leadership, problem-solving, technological skills, mathematical or financial literacy, and multiple languages.

Benefits of T-shaped skills

T-shaped people can be valuable resources during organizational change.

- They can help organizations adapt to challenges.

- They can help build interdisciplinary work teams.

- They can help identify high-potential employees.

How to develop T-shaped skills Learn new skills, Read about new disciplines, Look for ways to collaborate with others, and Reflect on your work and identify areas for improvement.

History of the term

The term was first used internally at McKinsey & Company in the 1980s. It was popularized by David Guest and Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO

--------------

Remember movement isn't the same as progress! Have a blessed day #SelfMadeSeries +throughMylens

Do More / Be More / Be Different wilsenx.blogspot.com

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Football ⚽ Made Me Series +throughMylens

The New Harambee Stas Coach Unveiled on Monday 3rd March 2025. Let us give a big welcome to coach Benni McCarthy. Karibu Kenya 🇰🇪 🇿🇦 ❤️

DID YOU KNOW,

Coach Benni McCarthy is a former coach of one of the greatest clubs in the world, Manchester United.

📌 Some of the wins I expect to see off the field as short-term goals #ChangeManagement. #Leadership

#POV #MYTAKE

There's hope for those talented Kenyan players who have been 'locked'' in dark rooms of Kenyan football, what I also refer to as the dark tunnel of Kenyan football. #MetaphoricallySpeaking

One of the many things a foreign coach brings into play is some optimism, especially to those aspiring and talented stars from all levels of the game. During the launch, the coach mentioned his philosophy is open to accommodating the young players into the team provided they meet the threshold required for the levels of a senior team.

My biggest hope is that there's going to be a shift in how we handle football matters when it comes to the national teams in the country, especially in the entire culture from the selection, call-ups, attitude, passion, professionalism, style of play, etc.

Lastly, it's also possible to qualify for the World Cup or AFCON with the new coach, but I will wait to see the outcomes as it involves many significant issues both on and off the field.

Quote; Youth / Football / Betting

"It is quite rare to always predict accurately the result of a football match before it is played, and if it happens then it's not a matter of how lucky you are or being an expert in the game but a good chance you're participating in match-fixing affairs" - Wilson Masaka aka Maja. #FootballAndBetting #YouthLifeFootballBetting

All the best coach. 📌 Photos : All credit reserved 📸 Online Source

Football Made Me Series
+throughMylens Wilson Masaka @top fans © 2025

Sunday, March 2, 2025

Skills Up Master Session at MYSA Kenya

Mid Term School Break +throughMylens #Parenthood Parenthood

In the tough hustle and bustle of life to get the daily bread, I still make time for my children because it is the biggest investment I can make. Remember, you can work today and go through a painful tunnel to build wealth, but without great parenting and mentorship in the future, your children would destroy everything in a matter of days because you didn't instill in them the values that made you succeed during tough times.

Even if you are making some inheritance plans in terms of assets and other valuables to children, make sure they are attached with great values to maintain what you created, create more and live a more responsible life.

Best Quotes

📌 "If life didn't teach you something yesterday, be assured it will happen today. Every day we learn something new; sometimes we think, reflect, lose hope, find optimism, etc. The most important part is to stay positive, stay focused, and never change the goal but develop many strategies until it happens." - Wilson Masaka,. youth advocate and social entrepreneur.

📌"Any great idea that isn't tested is the same as having no idea." - Wilson Masaka,. youth advocate and social entrepreneur.

📌 "We are at one of the greatest periods in history for sharing, evolution, and accessibility, therefore don't let the limitations you face prevent you from learning new things. Making time to study something new on your own is one of the more difficult tasks in the current era. Being without a certain tool or gadget is one thing, but adopting a lifelong learning mindset is quite another." - Wilson Masaka,. youth advocate and social entrepreneur

Highlights of the season;

📍 Users (the 'CC' )- Content Consumers Vs. Content Creators

📍 Smartphone photography 101

📍 Personal Branding 101

📍 Story Telling for Change

📸 Life Series Bits and Pieces

It was a great pleasure to have my son take pictures during the master class session I conducted at MYSA Kenya with the Haba Na Haba team. We also played football and later watched the FKF Women's NSL match, Mathare United Women vs. Bandari, at the same venue.

Do More / Be More / Be Different wilsenx.blogspot.com

Thursday, February 27, 2025

The Death Of Metro Sports F.C

The Dark Tunnel Of Kenyan Football

#KnowledgeGap

What kills a football club at the grassroots level?

Allow me to take you on a brief trip down memory lane. We had a fantastic team called Metro Sports that competed in the KFF Super Two League in 2005, it is exactly 20 years ago (two decades).

All of the Mathare North talents were housed at this club, which received numerous honours and was well-liked both at home and away. Sadly, this club's existence came to an early end.

📌 What went wrong, and what can other clubs take out from our experience? In any case, this is a list of crucial issues that all clubs, especially those at the grassroots level, should take into account. Any grassroots football club hoping to extend its existence beyond the next 20 years should think about the following:

1. Establish a formal management and leadership structure.

2. Seek assistance from the community. Never underestimate the community support both financially, material, equipment and job linkages

3. Steer clear of any bad politics.

4. Use good judgement when negotiating any deal from player transfers or merchandise.

5. Have a bigger picture than only football.

6. Within your club organisation, have a junior team.

7. Contributions from members are more sustainable than relying solely on one person.

8. Steer clear of underhanded tactics and shortcuts; openness is essential.

9. Show the highest fairness and respect to each and every player.

10. Have an official bank account.

11. Play local competitions and quality friendlies with intention.

12. If at all possible, register a CBO with football as one of the pillars and have a project that goes beyond football.

13. Develop new stars and let your finest players join other elite teams.

14. Establish policies for finances, equipment, and supplies.

15. Clearly define who owns the club and handle the changeover with an open mind.

16. Be deliberate about how your brand is seen, particularly through the name, logo, merchandise etc.

17. Motivate players to possess abilities that are useful outside of football (Life after football policy).

18. Steer clear of infighting and lack of professionalism

19. When funds are available from any source, don't alter the goal post.

20. Motivate everyone to improve their skills and obtain the necessary credentials, beginning with the coaches.

I have an offer of five hours of free session to any grassroots club in Nairobi. Book a Skill Master Session with +throughMylens.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

The Entryway to Football

The Inaugural Mathare North Soccer League U10

#FootballDevelopment #JuniourTeams

📍 Mathare North Zone - Drive Inn

Numerous obstacles, ranging from leadership, equipment, playing space, and supplies, impact the development of Mathare North football for the youth and junior teams.

Priorities include safe venues, equipment, and high-quality engagement. Wilsen initiative (Wi) has stepped in to provide an alternative that will help with some of the new problems by supporting the U10 league under the name Mathare North Soccer U10 League.

The Change

Picture a neighbourhood where all children are supported, both on and off the pitch. What if every child had a good football, played on the right field and wore quality football shoes? We hope to do this by operating the league; the first pilot will run from February to May 2025.

Join Us

You can support us through the donation of football-related equipment and materials for the U10 category.

#Founder360: Football Made Me Series

📍 "Never underestimate the power of one ball in bringing the community together." - Wilson Masaka, founder of the Wilsen Initiative (Wi) and youth advocate.

📍 "I want to provide the kids with a better experience as an alternative. If we actively involve children by fostering their growth both on and off the pitch, they will be better able to shape the future we desire. - Wilsen Initiative (Wi) founder and youth advocate Wilson Masaka.

📌 Teams participating in the league.

* Every Saturday from 2PM - 6PM

1.Mathare Flames -A

2. 23 Allstars - A

3. 07 Sports F.C

4. Olympus

5. Mathare North Rangers.

6. Mathare Flames - B

7. Athletico Juniors

8. 23 All-Stars - B

9.Red Eagles

10. Macmillan

11.Red Eagle - B

12.Slum Aces

Do More / Be More / Be Different

wilsenx.blogspot.com

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Personal Development 101

Self love and self care are two great gateways towards achieving your dream.

Did you know my first blog article was July 2009?

That is 16 years of documenting my journey what I call 'Bits and Pieces' featuring ideas, lessons, activitivies etc.

#SelfMade #LifeSeries #theChampionInYou

Here is the link;

http://wilsenx.blogspot.com/2009/07/from-bits-and-pieces.html?m=0

Some of the best quotes and phrases that that continue to build me;

• If you believe and trust with God anything is possible.
• The 3 D's - dreams, dedication and determination are the swiftest way to success.
• All great achievement requires time and tenacity.
• I would rather fail in a course that will ultimately succeed than succeed in a course that will ultimately fail.

📍 "Knowledge is power, only if you use it" - Wilson Masaka.

Invite me for a master session with your group whereby I will share more from diverse perceptions personal development.

Do More / Be More / Be Different

📍+throughMylens /Consult
Check my blog on www.wilsenx.blogspot.com

Do You Have a Football Profile or CV?

A cover letter, copies of your certifications, and your Curriculum Vitae (CV) are some of the important documents you will be requested to provide when applying for a job. However, what are some of the essential documents a football player has to acquire in order to play professionally and improve their prospects in the competitive field of gifted players?

Here is my quick list of what I think every aspiring professional footballer must have.

Feel free to add to the list under the comments section.

1. Quality pictorials. (During the match, during the training, etc.)

2. Social media digital footprint (football related).

3. Player profile (it's like your CV)

4. Showreel or video clips.

5. Copy of contract.

6. Medical certificate which will be required at different stages.

6. A valid passport.

Note: Depending on the circumstances, additional requirements, such as a transfer letter, may be requested at certain points.

Advice Corner

📌 Stay fit and healthy.

📌 Find yourself good teams, a coach, a mentor and an agent; they will help build your career and spot opportunities.

📌 Choose your position wisely; I know there are no ways of increasing your height, but some positions require a certain minimum height and weight.

Friday, February 14, 2025

Work Series - Jobless But Not Hopeless

World Of Work Series +throughMylens

#SelfMadeSeries #WorkPlaceSeries #YouthSpace

#careerpathways

Are You Jobless?

Avoid These Common Pitfalls to Boost Your Job Search Success.

1. Apply for jobs that you don't have qualifications for or any skills whatsoever.

2. Sleeping early and waking up late.

3. Spending time on the internet randomly without a plan or to-do list.

4. Spending your most valuable time at a common place known as the base doing nothing.

5. Reading and learning just for the sake of it.

6. Copy others blindly just to belong or fit a certain lifestyle.

7. Stick with a 'dead career' hoping that you will still make it even with your degrees.

8. Never learn a new skill that is valuable in the current market.

9. Expand your circle of jobless friends.

10. Allow external distractions from controlling your schedule and entire life.

Do you want to learn more or do a deep-dive analysis with me? Invite me for a masterclass session with your youth group.

One thing I have come to note is that school will not teach you everything because there's a lot out here to learn that life offers that has never been taught in any form of schooling system.

#StreetSmart #SchoolSmart

"There is no magic bullet that will make you successful in the new year if you keep doing the things that caused you to fail the previous year." - Wilson Masaka, Youth Advocate and Social Entrepreneur.

Do More / Be More / Be Different

🌎 www.wilsenx.blogspot.com

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Football Made Me Series

📍 Football Made Me Series

📍 Let us open the discussion and discuss the 6 F's under my ongoing series to share experiences and educate the next generation of coaches and players in the Kenyan football scene.

📍 Facts, Fiction, Fun, Fanbase, Finance and Future.

📌 "Talent and passion alone aren't enough; to become better in what we do, we need to keep on learning more from diverse sources." @top fans Wilson Masaka @highlight Wilsen Initiative

Book a session today +throughMylens/Consult
📸 www.facebook.com/MathareNorthSoccer

Featured on BEYOND THE SCARS PROJEC. This is my story... #SelfMade Bits and Pieces, Football Made Me and More...

📸 WATCH
https://youtu.be/p_3FmAYGh78

Do More / Be More / Be Different
wilsenx.blogspot.com

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Hire and Fire Vs. Hire and Care

Hire and Fire #WorldOfWork +throughMylens The Shift #OrganisationCulture

In this modern era of work, where employees are dealing with many unspoken concerns that the employer may not see, the traditional hiring and firing books should be eliminated or revised to read hire and care. In my writing context, "firing" refers to more than only getting fired for a mistake; it also refers to the termination of the contract for any of the reasons.

Hire and care, I understand might be a new term in the workplace and it may sound ridiculous and impossible, but I must ask: Have you ever been fired? If yes, how was the entire experience?

So what is Hire and Care?

The philosophy of hiring care focuses on how to manage the transition from onboarding to out boarding employees, keeping in mind that they contributed to the organisation to the extent that it succeeded in various ways.

In my advocacy for improving human resources issues at workplaces, I would urge the organisation's management and board to inculcate a practice that would ensure employees transit to the next life smoothly even if their contract would have stated all terms for engagement.

Hire and care would mean;

1. Train your team on new emerging skills to enable them to innovate further for the organisation to excel.

2. Open new spaces for employees to learn extra skills for personal growth.

3. Communicate effectively.

4. Having goodbye parties is ok, but having a meeting with the board or top management would make more sense within the transition.

5. Must do an exit interview.

6. Make the reward and promotion system fair and clear to everyone.

What else?

In conclusion, caring doesn't mean you don't let people go, but it focuses more on how you do it, remembering that we are all human.

Build clear systems that will inspire people to do more and want to stay and grow the organisation to the next level, and should they also find a reason to resign, they still remain good advocates of the institution.

Spend quality time selecting who walks in and joins your team so when either party terminates the contract, you remain driven by the organisation's vision as ambassadors because of the relationship you built together and the shared values.

10 things to remember as an employee:

1. You aren't there to stay forever.

2. The shift can happen at any point.

3. Work with passion and diligently, and never forget to pursue what you love beyond the job description.

4. Develop many revenue sources.

5. Learn extra skills beyond your current job description.

6. Expand your circle of friends beyond your neighbourhood and workplace.

7. Live within your means.

8. Aspire to start something.

9. Don't burn the bridges because you will need it to cross to the other side.

10. It isn't the responsibility of your employer to train you on new skills, especially those that touch on personal development.

📌 Invite me for a master class session with your team to discuss more. #YouthSpace #LearnToLearn #SkillUpMasterClass

Do More / Be More / Be Different
wilsenx.blogspot.com

Friday, January 31, 2025

Wilsen Initiative (Wi) 2025 Program

Teaching and sharing knowledge isn't a job to me but it's rather a calling.

#UNSDG4 Book a session for your youth group. #Learn2Learn

📌 Wilsen Initiative : She Can, IAM A Shero Program Update

Skill Up Master Classes #UNSDG4 #UNSDG1

1. Training Bootcamp #MasterClasses

The model is focused on reaching out to youths and youth groups within already established setups. We reach out to the hosting organisation to support with all the logistics, while on our side we conduct the master classes on a pro-bono basis. So far we have conducted one session and are looking forward to doing more.

The Goal

The goal of the Self-Made Series is to train 1,000 young people on employability, life skills, computer literacy, creative entrepreneurship, financial literacy, personal branding, and creative skills by the end of December. We have allocated atleast 5 hrs per month for pro bono training.

The Problem We Seek to Address.

- Increased in the number of youth unemployment, both skilled and unskilled, on and off the field.

- Information gap within the football sector and how to prepare for professional football and life transition outside football.

📌 Note: No fundraising is required for this activity to happen because our target is to reach out to the hosts to take care of the 80%, and we will offer the 20% (time, expertise and facilitation).

2. Football For Hope

- Annual Football Tournament—Football for Hope & Lifeskill (Girls and Boys U11 - U15). (November - December 2025).

- Play safe with dignity (football shoes, football, and football jerseys support).

📌 The football event will happen once per year around November - December, subject to availability of resources. Currently, we are working towards making plans for resources mobilization to make it happen in November - December.

Otherwise, we appreciate the assistance offered to us by our network of friends and well-wishers in helping us provide other young people with a platform for greatness, hope, and purpose, motivated by the philosophy and ideals of the Wilsen Initiative (Wi).

📌 Pictures from Archives.