Marie Heitmeyer blog

Fifa opens second hope centre in Kenya

NAIROBI (AFP) – FIFA's ambitious project to construct youth centres as a lasting legacy to hosting the first World Cup in Africa continued with the opening of the second Football for Hope Centre in Nairobi on Saturday.

The centre, which boasts an artifical football pitch and an educational and health training facilities is located within the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) headquarters at Koma Rock, in the northern outskirts of the capital.

Fifa's head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Federicho Addiechi said MYSA was selected because of its long history in linking self-help youth sports with community development.

"MYSA has been getting support from FIFA for the last five years to invest in the field of football.

"We decided to open the centre here and provide the youth with a training facility to tackle education and health within the Mathare Valley slum, which is considered the second largest and poorest in Africa," said Addiechi.

He said FIFA would continue to provide support for the next three years.

The MYSA centre, is one of the 20 earmarked for construction in the continent by FIFA and streetfootballwork, a non-profit organisation, using local expertise.

A Kenya team, drawn from youngsters residing in Mathare Valley slum won the first street football world championships in Berlin in July 2006 and successfully defended the title in Alexandra, South Africa after the 2010 World Cup.