Age
16
Country of Residence
Kenya
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
I am a young football player from Mathare, Nairobi, and football has become an important part of my life. Through playing with Golden City Club CBO, I have seen how football can bring young people together, create friendships and teach lessons about teamwork, discipline and believing in yourself. My idea came from thinking about how football could become more than just a game. I realized that young people can use the same teamwork they learn on the pitch to solve problems, encourage one another and contribute positively to their community. I want to help create opportunities where young people can play, learn, develop confidence and discover that they can also be part of creating change. My experience as a player has shown me the power of sport to connect people, and I want to build on that experience through a youth-led community initiative.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
Football is already a powerful way of bringing young people together in my community. I would encourage others to join by inviting young people through football activities, talking to them directly and using community and social-media networks to share information about the project. I would also encourage participants to bring their ideas and involve their friends. Instead of only asking young people to attend activities, I want them to have opportunities to help organize, lead and create solutions. This can help participants see that they have an important role in improving their community.
How many people are on your team?
1
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
The project is at an early stage, so I am developing the idea from my experience as a football player with Golden City Club CBO. Through football, I have already experienced how sport can bring children and young people together and create opportunities to develop teamwork, discipline and confidence. My goal is to build on this experience and create a more intentional youth-led approach that combines sport, leadership and community action. If developed, I hope to engage young people through regular football and mentorship activities and support participants to take leadership responsibilities. I will measure progress through the number of young people participating, activities held, young people taking leadership roles and community actions developed by participants.
Project Category
My project is a brand new / emerging idea
Project Stage
Idea (We’re hoping to get started in the future)
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
Football for Positive Futures is a youth-led initiative that uses football as a starting point to bring children and young people together, build teamwork, confidence and leadership, and encourage them to take positive action in their community.
Project title
Football for positive futures
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
Many children and young people in my community have limited opportunities to participate in structured activities where they can develop their talents, confidence, teamwork and leadership skills. I have seen through football how much young people enjoy having a positive space where they can meet others, learn and develop their abilities. However, playing football alone does not always give young people opportunities to take leadership or use what they learn to make a difference around them. This matters to me because I am also a young person from Mathare. I believe young people should not only be seen as people who need help. We can also be part of identifying problems, supporting one another and creating solutions. My project aims to create a pathway from participation in sport to youth leadership and community action.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
Golden City Club CBO,@goldencityclubcbo- tiktok
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Over the next three months, I plan to develop the idea with other young people, identify the specific community issues we want to address and design simple football and mentorship activities around them. I will seek guidance from coaches, mentors and Golden City Club CBO while making sure young people have a real role in shaping the project. I will start by engaging a small group of young participants, testing the activities and collecting their feedback. After learning from the first activities, I hope to involve more young people, build partnerships with community organizations and develop a sustainable plan for expanding the initiative.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
The idea is different because it does not treat football only as a sport or competition. It uses football as a starting point for young people to develop leadership and become involved in solving community problems. Young people will not only be players. They will be encouraged to contribute ideas, take responsibilities, support other participants and develop small community actions. This creates a connection between what young people learn on the football pitch and how they can use teamwork and leadership outside the pitch. The approach also builds on resources that already exist in the community, including young people's passion for football, coaches, volunteers and community networks, rather than depending entirely on expensive facilities.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
Football for Positive Futures will use football activities as an entry point for youth leadership and community action. Young people will participate in football training and games while also taking part in simple mentorship and leadership activities. Participants will be encouraged to identify challenges affecting young people in their community, discuss possible solutions and work together on small positive actions. The project will encourage young people to take responsibilities such as helping organize activities, welcoming new participants, supporting younger players and suggesting community activities. Experienced coaches, mentors and community partners can provide guidance while young people remain actively involved in shaping the project. The aim is to create a pathway where a young person can move from being a participant to becoming someone who encourages others and contributes to positive change.
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
I am currently developing this idea as a young football player and community member. I will seek to involve other young people as the project develops, with support and guidance from coaches, mentors and community members. I want leadership to be shared by giving young participants opportunities to contribute ideas, organize activities and take responsibility for different parts of the project.
