Football For Hope Centre Opens In Kenya

At the end of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in July, FIFA pledged that they would continue to support Africa in creating and leaving a lasting legacy on the continent so that it will benefit Africans for many years. 

A few weeks after the competition was completed, the Football for Hope Centre in  Kenya – the first outside South Africa - officially opened today, 4 September 2010.

“With the opening of the Football for Hope Centre today in Nairobi, we have taken yet another step towards fulfilling our commitment to leave a tangible legacy for the entire African continent in placing a strong emphasis on education and public health through football," said FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter in a statement to the press.

"These fundamental rights are essential to provide the next generation with a chance for their future," he added.

Six further centres – as part of the 20 Centres for 2010 campaign - will be completed in the next four to five months in Namibia, Mali, Rwanda, Ghana, Lesotho and South Africa (Mokopane).

In December 2009, the first Football for Hope Centre was inaugurated in Khayelitsha/South Africa.

The centres address local social challenges in disadvantaged areas and improve education and health services for young people. Community involvement and ownership are crucial for the success and sustainability of the centres.

The Mathare Football for Hope Centre in Kenya will help hosts Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) to provide programmes of leadership training, environmental cleanups, HIV/AIDS awareness and other community-oriented activities to some of the most disadvantaged young people in Nairobi.