Hundreds of youth and women from Kisumu’s informal settlements converged at Moi Stadium for the Second Edition of the Jiboreshe Slum Tournament, an initiative that uses football as a platform for social empowerment, mental wellness and life skills training.
The one-day knockout tournament, organised by Homeless of Kisumu in partnership with FIFA Foundation and several local organisations, brought together about 1,000 participants and community members, far surpassing the initial target of 500 youth and women.
Speaking during the event, Homeless of Kisumu Founder, Benson Abila said the tournament was designed to place young people and women at the centre of empowerment by addressing issues such as mental health, crime and drug and substance abuse through sport.
“Football is the tool that brings them together, but development is the main goal. We use this platform to build capacity, teach life skills and help young people make better decisions, so they can thrive as members of society,” Abila said.
The tournament featured teams drawn from informal settlements, street-connected youth and institutions, competing in under-12, under-15 and under-17 categories for both boys and girls.
Between matches, participants attended facilitated sessions, focusing on mental health, decision-making, social responsibility and personal development.
Abila noted that the tournament was part of a broader two-year partnership with the FIFA Foundation, which supports year-round activities in informal settlements and institutions, culminating in an annual end-of-year event that brings beneficiaries and partners together.
“This is our second edition. We hope to grow it to the 10th Edition and beyond because the impact goes beyond the pitch,” he said.
Speaking during the same occasion, Anthony Mzee Obala, co-founder of Manyata Youth Resource Centre, said sports had proven to be a powerful tool for addressing social challenges such as violence, crime and community cohesion in Kisumu.
“Through sports, we talk to the children, but more importantly, we listen to them. We mentor them on life skills and show them that there are alternatives to violence and crime,” he said.
He added that several players nurtured through community sports programmes had gone on to play professionally abroad.
‘Dreams Redefined’, Community Based Organisation (CBO) Representative Yvonne Ogola said the organization’s involvement focused on adolescent girls and young women, using the Tournament to raise awareness on gender-based violence, unintended pregnancies and sexual and reproductive health rights.
“We move away from the classroom approach. They play, they bond, and during breaks, we engage them on issues affecting their lives,” she said.
The organisers called on the County and National governments, the private sector and the media, to strengthen partnerships that use sports for peace, development and social change, saying sustained collaboration was key to addressing deep-rooted challenges facing vulnerable youth and women.
By Chris Mahandara
