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Have used football boots and shinpads in good condition? We'll carry them to Kenya
We'll carry them too! Ideally, we're looking for matching shirts for whole teams of players, such as the t-shirts given out during the recent 'Graines de Foot' tournament.
Sponsor us as we take on new sporting challenges.
Rowing back to fitness (400KM)
Cycling Lake Geneva (180KM)
This summer (July 2024), we will travel to Kenya where we will work with disadvantaged 9 to 16 year-olds in Nairobi, supporting a local community organization, NVS Kenya, in providing education for good health and well-being, whilst sharing our passion for sports. These webpages give some ideas about how you can contribute. Thanks for reading! Lizzie, Matthew, Ona (15) and Bastian (11). (Who are we? See our 'About Us' page)
Thanks to all who joined us for the family sports day on 02 June 2024, sponsored our sporting challenges, and bought art & textile pieces, we have already raised more than 2'000 CHF! A local foundation has also offered to match this! Hip hip hurray and a huge thank you 💛
How will we contribute to the Sports Education work of NVS Kenya?
How will we contribute to the Sports Education work of NVS Kenya?
We’ll contribute in two main ways:
(1) volunteering for a week supporting the teachers and coaches in Nairobi (each experience is unique based on assessment of the skills brought by the volunteers - this is an ongoing conversation); and
(2) materially through programme fees that go directly to the local community, sportswear donated by institutions and individuals (from Switzerland/France), and money to purchase (from Nairobi markets) additional sports equipment that is prioritised by the community.
Why is it important to support Sports Education in Kenya?
Why is it important to support Sports Education in Kenya?
According to the Kenyan constitution, every child has the right to free and compulsory basic education in government-funded public schools. However, government funding for public schools is insufficient and many children are not in school because of the hidden costs of ‘free’ primary education, with school fees for textbooks, examinations, transport and administration costs, buildings, uniforms, food and extra tuition.
For those who are in school, facilities and resources are very limited and class sizes can be up to fifty children to one class teacher - who is often untrained in sports education. More than developing sports knowledge and skills, sports time is commonly used for children to run around and have fun, without any formal educational aspect.
For those who find themselves outside the school system, youth and community clubs may be the only way of reaching many children. Sports education plays a crucial role.
Not only does sports education improve players physical health; it also is important for mental health. Bringing people together, developing social skills, learning to collaborate, practising fairplay, exercising self-control, and working as a team all help to build childrens’ positive self-image and self-confidence.
Sports education helps focus children on positive activities, giving them purpose and helping keep them away from and out of trouble. It creates safe spaces to speak with children, offering health education lessons. And developing children’s sporting abilities gives them opportunities to get into highschools that they would otherwise not be able to afford.
How is NVS Kenya helping?
How is NVS Kenya helping?
A registered charitable organization, Networks for Voluntary Services Kenya (NVS Kenya) is the local community partner of International Volunteering HQ - the world's number one rated volunteer travel organisation.
NVS was established to give people from Kenya and around the world the opportunity to do volunteer work contributing to community initiated projects, including in child and adult health and education. “Our work is to identify the need and get additional helping hands."
Meet James Omambia, NVS Kenya
Meet James Omambia, NVS Kenya
With a Degree in Social Work and Community Development from the University of Nairobi, James Omambia is part of the NVS Kenya Volunteer Welfare team. We spoke with him about the Sports Education Programme in Nairobi.
Q: Where do the NVS Kenya Sports Education Programmes take place and which sports do you focus on?
A: Most of our sports programmes happen in a school set up. In Kibera, it's not only young students. We also have teams in high school, and also there are teams for the youth, teams that meet during the weekends that have formed commuity football teams. They meet, they train, and then they go out and play with other teams. The sport is mainly soccer (in some countries we call it football), especially in Riruta and Thika. But in Kibera slum we have a variety. We have football, netball, volleyball and a few doinig basketball.
Q: Why does the Programme need Sports Education volunteers (besides the fact that the class sizes can be as large as 50 pupils to one teacher)?
A: The coaches are just doing it out of passion, but they are not professionals. They have the heart to help the kids. Most of the people who have the skills to teach them also have to go and work and get a living, so we really don't have coaches who do that for a job. They only come in to help the children whenever they have free time. So whenever they get anything to help them to do better, they are happy to have it.
Q: How does the Sports Education programme help the children, beyond teaching them a sport?
A: When the young people are coming to play, we talk to them also about things that can happen to them in life. So one of the worst things being in the slums is drugs. You find that the young people go out if they are idle. They are getting involved in drinking a lot. And then even robbery. But when they are kept busy, they don't even remember to get involved in behaviours that are not good. I have seen some lives really improved because once they train and get good at football, high schools want them because they are good sportspersons.
We also have a feeding programme for the children. They need strength to play sports, and if they are not receiving good nutrition, they don't have the strength or motivation they need.
Q: Beyond volunteers supporting the school teachers and community team coaches, what else is needed to support Sports Education in Nairobi?
A: In these areas, the communities we are working with lack facilities. When they have a tournament, they are unable to get transportation, so you find that most of the time they play within one area and just within their community. We find that they don't have jerseys (shirts) for the teams, or only have a few. And the children who play soccer don't have the boots to play. Children are play football in crocs. Only when they play tournaments do they use the proper boots they have, not during trainings. They boots are the property of the time, not belonging to one child. They really need equipment to play. But these children have passion to do sports.
Q: Is there anything in particular you would like to see in the future with regards Sports Education in Nairobi?
A: There is someone who has been approaching me from the slum. She's a girl who has been playing football for a long time, and she has been wanting to support other young girls to start sports. In Kenya, mostly in Africa, we don't take sports for girls seriously, especially in the soccer programmes. She has been thinking that it is high time to have a team for the girls too.
Hear James' responses in his own words in this audio-recording of our conversation.
Interview with James NVS Kenya.mp4Moses Odhiambo NVS Kenya.movMoses Odhiambo, coach of Kibera Elite Football Academy
Moses Odhiambo, coach of Kibera Elite Football Academy
Scott, IVHQ volunteer.movScott, IVHQ Volunteer with the Sports Education Programme in Kenya
Scott, IVHQ Volunteer with the Sports Education Programme in Kenya
More about NVS Kenya
More about NVS Kenya
Networks for Voluntary Services Kenya is a registered charitable organization based in Kenya, East Africa that is run by a team of volunteers. NVS Kenya is registered as a Society under the Societies Act of the government of Kenya, (Registration 35694), located in Nairobi.
More about IVHQ
More about IVHQ
- IVHQ has run safe and impactful programmes for 16 years, connecting volunteers with fully vetted placements with local community partner organisations, such as NVS Kenya.
- They are a safe and ethical choice: a Certified B Corporation, 100% carbon neutral, and every project aligns with a UN Sustainable Development Goal.
- 134,805 people have volunteered with Interntional Volunteering HQ (IVHQ) since 2007, and they are the world's number one rated volunteer travel organisation.
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