MYSA part of two Kenyan football projects benefitting from UEFA's Ksh70 million investment

Two Kenyan community football projects - Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) and the Water4Wildlife Foundation - have been recognised by the UEFA Foundation for Children for their growing impact in using sport to support education, health and environmental conservation.

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The two humanitarian organisations, which are among the worldwide beneficiaries of the foundation, were recently featured by UEFA, which recognised their tireless work in creating safe spaces for Kenyan children and helping thousands of them thrive, not just on the pitch, but outside it.

According to UEFA, the European football governing body has splashed €470,000 (Ksh70,594,000) on the two community football projects.

Founded in 1987, MYSA stands aloft as one of the premier Community Development Organizations, which has consistently used football to offer young people an opportunity to flourish.

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With its hub in Mathare, Nairobi, MYSA, thanks to its numerous programs - ranging from sports, environment, health, education and arts - has risen over the area’s challenging conditions to create an ecosystem that now supports more than 30,000 beneficiaries and members.

With football at its heart, MYSA has for decades contributed to the growth of the Kenyan game, with the renowned program giving rise to Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Mathare United, who in 2008 clinched the league championship.

The 22 MYSA Centre in Nairobi boasts a lively hub with fitness rooms, multi-purpose halls, football pitches and four libraries.

To further enhance its impact in Kenyan football, the organisation’s leagues, as of 2025, comprise 1,745 teams - 1,018 boys’ teams, 402 girls’ teams, 325 mixed teams - which, beyond the pitch, reward fair play and community service.

As per UEFA, MYSA’s growth reflects itself in the fact that it has over 10,000 young people informed about health and their rights, has offered over 6,000 scholarships, and consists of 3,000 plus grassroots coaches, and 1,300 plus library users.

Since 2019, the UEFA Foundation’s grants have totalled €309,886 (Ksh46,544,900).

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Hundreds of kilometres from Nairobi is the Water4Wildlife Foundation, which has also been lauded for using the same love for football to protect wildlife and empower Maasai children. Founded in 2019, the organisation focuses on two intertwined goals: conserving ecosystems and inspiring young people to become future guardians of the land.

Together with the UEFA Foundation for Children, Water4Wildlife has built football pitches, provided kits and created a girls’ club offering mentorship, safety and skills development.

Its impact has been felt already, with UEFA noting that its three programmes - Football4Wildlife, Football4Trees, and Football4Environment - have reached hundreds of children, further unlocking their potential to create healthier, safer and more resilient communities.

©UEFA Foundation

The UEFA Foundation for Children was launched in 2015, and through significant funding from UEFA, has helped to finance 577 innovative sports-based projects run by humanitarian organisations, charities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other non-profit organisations.

In its first 10 years, the Foundation's support has put a smile on the faces of 4.9 million children in 138 different countries.