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 Since 1987 the Mathare youth have pioneered the crucial linkages between sport, environmental improvement and community development which are now recognized worldwide and reflected in the policies of countries like the Netherlands and Norway and global agencies such as the International Olympic Committee and UNEP.
The project was launched in 2000 in order to improve the quality of sports and leadership skills in all our MYSA zones. Close to one thousand youth have benefited through the training.
The department is concerned with developing leadership and coaching and refereeing skills among the youth of Mathare. A lot of out-of-Mathare youth in Nairobi have also benefited from the high quality training offered by MYSA
 The focus of this process will be to create and facilitate organized groups of young people to sustain the concept of sports for development.
Volunteer coaches and referees will through the MYSA leadership process accumulate points which will enable them to qualify for bursaries/scholarships to pursue other professional courses through which they can serve the community.
Among the activities proposed under the partnership are:
- Sports coaching for school children and youth
- Sport tournaments awards and recognition
- Role modelling thro’ sports/promotion of sports personalities (highlight positive activities to inspire and appreciate youth participation)
- Community recreation
These activities will also sustain the schools programme, which has been in existence since1999. The main objective of the programme was to improve the physical education course and facilities in selected primary and secondary schools. So far 268 teachers have been trained and 10,423 children benefited.
The Mathare youth created the Sports and Leadership Academy to consolidate and share their many years of practical experience in motivating and training young athletes to become better players, coaches, referees and leaders in their schools and community.
MYSA Academy courses aim to help young athletes:
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Improve their fitness, training, diet and performance;
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Increase their knowledge and skills in coaching and refereeing so they can train others;
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Understand and cope better with personal health and adolescent life challenges in their peer groups;
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Expand their organizational and leadership skills for helping other youth in their schools and community.
As shown in the attached programme, the introductory course will focus on:
- Football coaching, training skills and drills
- Physical fitness, training and diet
- Rules, refereeing and fairplay
- Personal health, challenges and choices
- Community development (MYSA field trip)
- Leadership skills and options for action
Those completing the introductory course will receive a participation certificate confirming the topics and skills they covered. Those who effectively apply their new knowledge and skills in their schools and community in the months following the course will receive a special performance certificate.
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