The Workplace Series

You need more than passion in the workplace. Develop a clear roadmap toward your preferred career unless you simply want to do any job just to survive — which can be very risky in the long run.

Here are some tips from my book: 📚+throughMylens,  Bits and Pieces

1. Go the extra mile beyond the assigned task.

2. Your workmates are not always your friends per se; some are silent competitors. Work diligently as a team, but when it comes to friendships, choose wisely.

3. Be a problem solver. You stand to learn more and remain valuable beyond your current workplace.

4. Every workplace has its own kind of politics. Play your cards wisely.

5. Never stop learning. Even with the best education, the knowledge that earned you that degree can become obsolete over time.

6. There is a difference between working hard and working smart. Don’t just clock hours for a salary because, at some point, that season may come to an end.

7. One of the best ways to become indispensable is to create something of your own as a founder or innovator.

8. Never stop doing what you loved before you got a job or before anyone knew your name.

9. They say a salary can become a magnet that limits your thinking beyond employment. If you are fortunate enough to have a good package, save some money for rainy days and invest in something you genuinely love — something that can generate passive income even while you sleep. That is the real test, because many people become trapped chasing one job after another, or living from one paycheck to the next, just to pay bills.

Beyond The Game at Halisi Soccer Club - Master Session

  | #SkillUpMasterSession

📍 Thursday, 23rd April 2026

📌 St. Paul’s Primary School, Nairobi County

👥 Team: Halisi Soccer Club

Today, I had the privilege of inspiring, connecting with, and educating players from Halisi Sports Halisi Soccer Club through our ongoing mission Wilsen Initiative (Wi) — empowering grassroots clubs by addressing both existing and emerging knowledge gaps that can impact player and club development.

The session brought together both the men’s and women’s teams, with a total of 50 players in attendance — a strong reflection of commitment and passion for growth.

This impactful session, organized by Halisi Sports Services in partnership with Halisi Soccer Club, focused on “Beyond the Game.”

 Here are a few key highlights:

⚽ Understanding social media, building player profiles, and what truly makes a player excel

⚽ The football player lifecycle and how to navigate key transitions

⚽ Open discussion: The “dark tunnel” of Kenyan football — known vs unknown — and how players can strategically position themselves

⚽ Interactive activities promoting 21st-century skills: teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, innovation, time management, and communication

⚽ Moving from the comfort zone into the learning zone — and why it matters

⚽ Building confidence in public speaking and self-expression

⚽ Personal development: embracing your journey and building your personal brand — The “I AM” philosophy

Moments like these reinforce why this work matters. Sharing knowledge, insights, and personal experiences plays a vital role in shaping the next generation of footballers — both on and off the pitch.

Wishing all the pupils a successful second term as schools reopen next week. I look forward to continued engagement with grassroots clubs and nurturing future talent.

Remember: Dreams, hopes, and talent matter — but today’s game demands more. Players must be proactive, adaptable, and ready to evolve. Even when things don’t go as planned, there are always meaningful opportunities beyond football.

💬 “Talent alone is no longer enough to build a football career. Players must consistently perform, present themselves professionally, and make their abilities visible both on and off the pitch.”

— Wilson Masaka

Do More | Be More | Be Different

🌐 wilsenx.blogspot.com

3rd Edition – She Can | I Am a sHERO 2026 (U15 Girls)

⚽🎉 @Wilsen Initiative (Wi)

It’s a wrap… and what a day! 🙌

We had the pleasure of hosting incredible U15 girls teams: Halisi Queens (Mbotela), Otto Benecker (Mathare 4A), Star Football Academy (Kahawa Wendani), and Eastlando Pro Girls (Mathare North – Area 2).

A total of 80 participants joined us for a day that went far beyond football.

We kicked off with powerful insights from our guest speakers, who shared real-life stories that inspired and challenged the girls to dream bigger. This was followed by engaging games and activities designed to build self-awareness, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Special thanks to our amazing facilitators:

📍 Esther Mazira (Co-founder, Wilsen & She Can)
📍 Wilson Masaka (Founder & Co-founder, Wilsen & She Can)
📍 Kate Syprine (She Can Mentor)
📍 Ruth Mwamburi (IT Expert, Saliz)
📍 Doreen Njora (Paamoja Initiative)
📍 Titus Kuria (CMEtrust & Paamoja Trust)

And to everyone who supported us—family, coaches, Ineke, Antonio, Titus—we appreciate you!

🎯 #ThroughMyLens | 

The GIGO Effect

Your mind is a canvas 🎨

Every thought. Every conversation. Every habit—adds a stroke.

Feed it with purpose, growth, and positivity… and you create a masterpiece.
Feed it with doubt and noise… and the picture changes.

Do More. Be More. Be Different.

— Wilsen Initiative (Wi)
🌐 www.wilsenx.blogspot.com

Money Matters 101

 DID YOU KNOW? 

+throughMylens / Consult

 💭 #POV

Banks are not necessarily there to make you rich — they are businesses built to be profitable. And here’s the uncomfortable truth: your financial ignorance can be part of that business model.

Those who take time to understand money stand a much better chance of negotiating better terms before committing themselves.

Being employed doesn’t automatically mean you’re financially literate. Income alone is not enough — you must intentionally invest in knowledge and continuously upskill on financial matters.

I’ve seen people earn good money, yet live under constant debt and financial stress. 

So what really goes wrong?

1. Chasing get-rich-quick schemes

2. Saving blindly without understanding inflation

3. Zero knowledge of investments

4. Starting too many things at once

5. Over-relying on a single source of income

6. Getting too comfortable as an employee

7. Poor financial habits — from impulse buying to having no budget

💡 Financial freedom is less about how much you earn, and more about what you know and how you apply it.

#FinancialLiteracy #MoneyMindset #Growth #SmartMoney @ Wilsen Initiative (Wi) © Wilson Masaka

Why remain the same? A moment Of Reflection.

 Life Series

+throughMylens

A moment of reflection #FailFaire

Why remain the same? Even the darkest clouds shift—changing shape and form throughout the day. Within them lies a silver lining, waiting to be seen and put to good use.

Success is sweetest when you can face your failures boldly, without sugarcoating the experience. When you peel back the layers, you begin to appreciate the effort behind every setback. And most importantly, you discover lessons that go far beyond measure.

Nothing in nature stays fixed—and neither do we. Just like clouds, we’re constantly reshaped by pressure, time, and perspective. Trying to “remain the same” can mean resisting growth, even when change is exactly what’s needed.

Fail Faire

When you stop softening or avoiding it, failure becomes useful instead of painful. It stops being a verdict and starts being information. That’s where the shift happens—when you’re honest enough to say, this didn’t work, and curious enough to ask, why?

Peeling back those layers takes effort—and sometimes it’s uncomfortable. But that’s also where self-awareness and progress are built. You begin to see patterns: what you avoid, what you rush, what you underestimated...

And once you see those clearly, you’re no longer stuck repeating them.

The “silver lining” isn’t always obvious at first—but it’s usually there in the form of:

• clarity you didn’t have before

• resilience you didn’t know you were building

• direction you wouldn’t have found otherwise

Growth doesn’t always feel like progress in the moment. Sometimes it feels like disruption. But over time, it shapes you into someone who can handle more, see more, and do more with intention.

Do More / Be More / Be Different+throughMylens @ Wilson Masaka

Birth and Death of Organisations

Sustainability is not about launching endless programs or writing countless proposals just to maintain existing donors for the next funding cycle.

True sustainability is about designing innovative, attractive, and relevant products or services that position your organisation as a leader or pacesetter in its field. It is about building systems that retain value, remain impactful over time, and create multiple revenue streams—beyond dependence on donor funding.

So, where do organisations fail?

The Deep Loopholes

1. Institutional Memory Loss

Knowledge is not documented or transferred, forcing organisations to constantly restart instead of building on past progress.

2. Employee Transitions

High staff turnover disrupts continuity, weakens culture, and affects long-term strategy execution.

3. Poor Hiring and Promotion Systems (HR)

When recruitment and growth are not merit-based, mediocrity replaces excellence.

4. Overdependence on Donors (100%)

Organisations that rely entirely on donor funding remain vulnerable and reactive instead of strategic.

5. Weak or No Board Transition Structures

Poor governance and lack of succession planning at board level create instability and stagnation.

6. Mediocre Vision

Without a bold and clear vision, organisations drift instead of leading.

7. Short-Term Partnerships

Relationships built for convenience rather than long-term value fail to create meaningful impact.

8. Weak Financial Systems

Poor financial management erodes trust, limits growth, and increases risk.

9. Lack of a Sustainable Business Model

Without internal revenue generation, survival becomes tied to external goodwill

10. Ownership Gaps and Transition Failures

When leadership and stakeholders lack a sense of ownership, accountability and continuity suffer.

Closing Thought!

Fight. Flight. Freeze… or Get Fired.

In many organisations, people are not underperforming—they are reacting.

Reacting to unclear systems.

Reacting to poor leadership.

Reacting to cultures that punish initiative and reward survival.

Organisations don’t die because people didn’t try—

they die because systems are weak and cultures are broken.

And the ones that last?

They build systems that work even when people change.

— Wilson Masaka, Youth Advocate & Social Entrepreneur

📸 Credit online source 

Good read 

https://www.aihr.com/blog/organizational-life-cycle/

+throughMylens/ Consult

Book a master class session to learn more DM wilson.masaka@gmail.com 

Do More / Be More / Be Different 

wilsenx.blogspot.com

The Dark Tunnel Of Kenya Football

 ⚽📍 Women's Football 

This weekend there will be no Kenya Women’s Premier League fixtures following a boycott by clubs demanding better terms of engagement for women’s football.

“Football is a career, not a hobby for our sisters, and we must give them the required attention and support.” — Wilson Masaka

#MetaphoricallySpeaking

Let us stop using the “lollipop effect.” In many situations when a child cries, the first thing that comes to mind is giving them a lollipop just to stop the crying. But that solution never truly works. With time, the child will eventually refuse the lollipop and demand something else.

The same applies to football management. Temporary fixes cannot solve structural challenges.

Here are my suggestions:

1️⃣ Annual Stakeholders Forum

The federation should organize an annual stakeholders forum aimed at attracting investors into the women’s game. A structured package should be designed to strengthen negotiation, engagement, and partnerships targeting government, individuals, and companies.

2️⃣ Access to Better Facilities

Women’s teams should be given access to quality training and match facilities within their regions. Many institutions already have well-maintained fields, and partnerships could be negotiated so clubs can access these facilities at discounted rates.

3️⃣ Government Support on Public Facilities

The government should support women’s football by allowing free or subsidized use of public sports facilities such as the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani annex field for premier league teams.

Women’s football deserves structure, respect, and investment, not temporary solutions.

⚽ When we support women’s football, we invest in talent, dignity, and the future of the game.

Related Article written in 2021

https://wilsenx.blogspot.com/2021/01/15-areas-that-can-pivot-women-soccer-in.html?m=1

📸 Kayole Starlets Fc Est.2008 Vs Zetech University on Sunday 17th January 2021

Evolution of The Family Tree

Life Series l Bits and Pieces  #ThroughMyLens

Family Tree 🌳

As I evolve into new responsibilities, I have come to appreciate the role of family unity as one of the greatest pillars for success and support.

Family unity is not automatic—it is nurtured. As we grow older, our families either become stronger or weaker, depending on the values established by our parents and how we extend those values within our immediate and extended families.

If you think family support is automatic, then you might be mistaken. Ask around—there are many stories that will leave you puzzled. We may come from the same family, yet each person has different aspirations, characters, passions, priorities, behaviors, and personalities.

It is never easy to get a big family unit working together toward a common goal and shared interests. We often hear stories in the media where families fall apart—or even fight each other—over land, business ownership, shares, or inheritance.

Here is a simple test to reflect on whether your family is moving in the right direction. These are issues that are rarely discussed within many family setups.

What's Your Family Scorecard based on the following  question ___/5 🌳📊

📍 How many of the following exist in your family?

1. Family business
2. Family meetings (meet-ups, dinners, or lunches)
3. Family values
4. Family vision and mission
5. Family account

#MYSTORY My scorecard is 3/5 based on the above question.

What's Your?

📍 Inspirational – FAMILY

F – Faithful
A – Allies
M – Making
I – Incredible
L – Lifelong
Y – Yields

,

❤️ Inspiration Quote

«“If you are born poor, it's not your fault. But if you die poor, it’s your fault.” – Bill Gates»

I want to take this opportunity to thank my family for the love and support. It is a testament that together we can do more—both in good times and during low moments.

So far, even after our parents passed away, we are still building and growing stronger together.
Esther Mazira

#LifeSeries #ThroughMyLens #FamilyUnity #FamilyValues

Donate a Pair of Football Shoes

She Can Event – April 2026, Football and Lifeskill ⚽ 

One of the items you can add to the She Can Football Basket 🧺 is a pair of football boots for a U15 player.

This call for football shoes is not new. It has been an ongoing effort for many years, supporting both boys and girls who dream of playing the beautiful game.

I warmly invite my friends, family, and well-wishers to join hands with me again during the April She Can Event.

I began this journey in the year 2000 because I know exactly where the shoe pinches most — when you have the passion to play, but you have to do it barefoot.

Football Made Me Series

"One simple act can change a young player’s journey." — Wilson Masaka #NorwayCup1997

More Than a Shoe

"The shoes carry more than what we can see or touch. They build confidence, provide dignity, and give a youngster a chance to chase their dreams."
— Wilson Masaka ⚽✨

Related Link
https://lnkd.in/dYxwD7dn

Do More / Be More / Be Different

Learn to Choose Yourself

 Self Made Series 

 +throughMylens, inspired by Wilsen Initiative (Wi) journey 

Choosing yourself is not selfish. It is a declaration that your life, your growth, and your purpose matter.

Many people spend years waiting to be chosen — by employers, by friends, by society, or by opportunities. But the greatest transformation begins the moment you decide to choose yourself first.

Choosing yourself means giving your dreams permission to exist. It means investing in your growth even when nobody is watching. It means believing in your journey even when others doubt it.

Your future cannot be built on hesitation. It must be built on intentional decisions.

What It Means to Choose Yourself

1. Create time for yourself and protect it.

2. Take care of your health, your mind, and your finances. Save and invest in your future.

3. Learn something new every day — growth is your greatest asset.

4. Build meaningful relationships that inspire and challenge you.

5. Dare to start. Every great journey begins with a bold step.

6. Be mindful of what you consume — in food, words, and information.

7. Face the person in the mirror honestly and commit to becoming better.

8. Learn from others but design your own path.

9. Choose happiness intentionally. Don’t be bitter — be better.

10. Own your journey and let your progress speak for itself.

Quotes from My Diary 📖  Bits and Pieces Self Made.

📍 "The day you stop waiting for approval and start choosing yourself is the day your real life begins". - Wilson Masaka, Youth Advocate and Social Entrepreneur.

📍 "Many people spend their lives hoping to be chosen. The bold ones choose themselves and change the story." - Wilson Masaka, Youth Advocate and Social Entrepreneur.

📍"If you keep waiting for others to believe in you, you will wait forever. Believe in yourself first and let your actions convince the world." - Wilson Masaka, Youth Advocate and Social Entrepreneur.

Related Article 

https://wilsenx.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-foundation-of-self-made-series_17.html?m=1

https://wilsenx.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-foundation-of-self-made-series.html?m=1

Do More / Be More / Be Different 

Happy International Women's Day 2026

📅 Sunday, 8th March is International Women’s Day. 

This year’s campaign theme is #GiveToGain

The question is simple: What are you going to give to empower women in different spaces?

At Wilsen Initiative (Wi), one of our key focus groups is women and girls in sports.

While sports can be a powerful platform for growth and opportunity, the reality is that many players operate within what I often call the “dark tunnel”—a space where many off-the-field challenges remain unspoken and unaddressed.

Unfortunately, women and girls in sports often face numerous challenges, including a lack of mentors, limited meaningful engagement, low wages, mental health struggles, and inadequate material support, just to mention a few.

Through Wilsen Initiative (Wi) and the I Am a sHERO program, we want to shine a spotlight beyond the pitch by addressing:
📍 The unspoken challenges athletes face
📍 The untapped opportunities around women’s football
📍 The personal development needed to thrive both on and off the field

Our Give 

As part of our contribution this International Women’s Day, we are offering:

🕕 Six hours of free facilitation to one women’s football team in Nairobi.

This opportunity is open to teams at different levels:
📍 Premier League teams
📍 National Super League teams
📍 School teams

The session will focus on personal development, life skills, and navigating opportunities in and beyond football.

Get in touch to make arrangements for the session at your convenience.

💜❤️ Happy International Women’s Day!

Let us continue to uplift, support, and create spaces where women and girls can thrive, lead, and inspire future generations.

📸 PHOTO Archives Mathare United Women's Team, Kayole Starlets and Bright Future Starlets