Football is like a religion that has been played for years to bring communities together and identify and showcase talents.
Jogo Bonito, which in Portuguese translates to “The Beautiful Game,’’ emphasizes beauty, style, and individual accomplishment.
It continues to help in eradicating emerging vices in different societies all over the globe.
Closer at home, Anthony Mzee Obala, 59, is a man who is passionate and committed to fighting Gender Violence (GBV) and creating lasting peace among the youth in the community.
He developed this passion from his estate mates while he was a teenager playing using ajuala (a round polythene ball woven with small ropes), as football in Jericho.
Welcome to the home of football.
From his rented four-roomed office block, Manyatta Youth Resource Center (MYRC); his brainchild continues to nurture young boys and girls to hone their natural talents and skills for exposure.
Certified as a Community-Based Organization (CBO) in July 2009 by the Ministry of Sports, Gender, Children and Social Development (MYRC), has rolled out a new programme, with their partner dubbed, “Make Me Smile”.
“It’s not all about winning the football or netball matches, but bringing the people together. We coach boys to men and impart knowledge to them about integrity, discipline, teamwork, and effective communication. All these are geared towards respecting and embracing girls and women in the community,” explained Obala.
MYRC achieves this through organizing and participating in football tournaments and teaching photography and film production.
Other initiatives include deejaying, dance troupes, basic computer training, and mentorship programs on how to cope in life (skills).
“Annually,” he narrates further, “we always hold a ‘Super Sato’ in December for the Manyatta community to show them love and care. These days we give back to them by providing sanitary towels, clothes, shoes, and other necessary items. We also showcase talents through playing netball and modelling. It creates a sense of belonging and helps to put a smile on the faces of those who can’t afford to celebrate during the festive season.”
He added that every weekend from January to December, they always treat over 90 children to free lunch and they have come to like it.
Armed with only focus and determination, these programmes are freely offered to all and sundry irrespective of their ethnicity, race, colour, sex, or background.
Their mission is to instill proper knowledge at a tender age, this has remarkably helped many boys and girls from GBV, run away from early pregnancies, school dropouts, and sexual abuse, and address drugs and substance abuse issues.
It is noteworthy that boys and girls are given equal access to football in schools and the provision of scholarships to advance their knowledge up to the university level.
The deejaying equipment and public address system were present from some US well-wishers.
These enable them to host events and get something to sustain the children.
MYRC has also received from other organizations, the much-needed sanitary towels, clothes, balls, shoes, electronics, three office computers, and uniforms from Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company (KIWASCO).
“Cabinet Secretary for Sports and Youth Innovations Ababu Namwamba during his last visit to our facility in 2023, gave us 16 balls and some cash donations,” Obala revealed.
In addition, MYRC has been conducting peace campaigns to reduce violence and extremism, but, grow with lasting peace.
Some of the vulnerable people in society fall prey to advances from the perpetrators and these are the wrongs they are trying to correct.
To end this dire situation, he informed that in 2009, they partnered with AfriNov, a leading not-for-profit organization working in partnerships with grassroots communities on non-violent action in Kenya and Africa.
In this initiative, they helped to pacify warring tribal neighbours due to the aftermath of the contested General Elections.
Under the skilful hands of seven volunteer coaches and administrators, MYRC has been running a football academy targeting both boys and girls Under 10s, 12s, 14s, 17s, Girls, and Senior Teams.
He confirmed that mature girls normally train with the boys to harden and give them confidence while playing against other teams.
The number of boys registered by the organization for under 10s (138), 12s (90), 14s (65), and the Senior Team (40) respectively while the girls under 14 are 52 in number.
This elaborate arrangement saw football heroines of the 2012 Girls Team produced Sophie Akinyi, who was once Harambee Starlets U17s (currently Vihiga Queens FC goalie), and Evalyne Akinyi who switched to boxing.
Catherine Awuor and three others play full-time for Zetec University, Police Bullets FC (2), and Harambee Starlets (4).
