Kisumu-based non-governmental organization Homeless OG staged a football tournament at Moi Stadium on Thursday as part of a broader effort to keep young people engaged during the school holiday period and shield them from drugs, crime, and other destructive social vices.
Speaking during the tournament, Benson Abilla, the founder of Homeless of Kisumu and M-Taka, said sports provide a powerful platform to reach vulnerable youth and mentor them on life skills that can help them make informed choices.
“Our goal is to use sports to teach women and youth important life skills. Every day, young people struggle with drugs, violence and mental health challenges, and that is why we are here to support them and ensure they live stable, meaningful lives without wasting their potential,” Abilla said.
He noted that the organization uses football gatherings to openly engage youth on the dangers of hard drugs, while also offering guidance and follow-up support to help them stay on a positive path.
Trainer of Trainees (TOT) Yvonne Ogola said Homeless OG deliberately targets young girls, including teenage mothers, using such forums to address reproductive health, early pregnancy and HIV/AIDS prevention. She added that gender-based violence (GBV) remains rampant among the youth, often driven by early marriages.
“Our target is to end the triple threat of HIV infection, early pregnancy and gender-based violence,” Ogola said. “Recent reports released during World AIDS Day showed that girls aged between 18 and 24 lead in new HIV infections, early pregnancies and GBV cases. Through sports, we bring boys and girls together, not just to play football, but to learn how to protect their futures.”
She said the organization also educates participants on the dangers of early marriage, which she described as a major contributor to GBV among young people.
Larry Oyuga, Founder and Director of Green World Advocates CBO, said the tournament also provided an opportunity to reach young people with messages on environmental conservation and climate change, especially during the holidays when schools are closed.
“Such tournaments help us reach the youth when they are most available. We teach them about environmental protection and climate change, and we engage both primary and secondary schools in tree-planting initiatives as a way of curbing the climate change menace,” Oyuga said.
He added that beyond environmental education, the sessions empower young people to speak up about challenges affecting their lives and to look out for one another.
“We teach both primary and secondary school children about environmental protection, including tree planting. The football tournament brings us together as youths, where we learn how to protect ourselves and our friends, and how to address issues that are affecting our lives in general,” Oyuga said.
Organizers said they plan to expand the initiative to more neighbourhoods across Kisumu County as part of a sustained campaign to use sports as a tool for social change.
