Football/Soccer can transform a community. Using football for development, we engage more than 1000 children every year in Korogocho slums Nairobi. True hope football program provide free coaching, competition, and life-skills to most vulnerable areas. The aim of our centers in Korogocho slums is to introduce children to structured football to help transform slum living kids into educated leaders by building character and life skills, helping them overcome or avoid social issues.
Korogocho is a Swahili term meaning "Crowded shoulder to shoulder." Many people simply refer to it as "Koch." Korogocho slum is Nairobi's fourth largest slum.There are about 1,000,000 people living in Koch. A majority of them are young people. thousands of kids trapped in the poverty cycle. On average, a child attends school for just over 4 years and even less for a slum living kid. They are most at risk of labour, trafficking and sexual exploitation, drug and alcohol abuse, crime and illness
Football has the capability to influence democratic practices through team building and leadership exercises; academic performance owing to the fact that physically active children do better at school; health and wellness; and, foster social inclusion for ethnically diverse population. Each child benefits from participation, competition, and recreation. By providing them with a platform to interact, grow, and influence each other, football for development creates stronger communities.
Community based sport goes a long way to keep children involved in healthy physical activity and become better citizens. Many children find their confidence through playing a team sport and take initiatives to change their communities for the better. Young girls who play will advocate for their daughters to play in the future; adolescents who excel become role models within their communities; and parents and spectators get involved in community events. When our children play, we all overcome.
