PROFILE/PORTFOLIO

KARIBU AFRIKA KENYA

 

 

Karibu Afrika Kenya (KAK) is a registered international NGO in Kenya since 2009. Aiming to develop Africa from the grassroots, through promotion of: sports, education and inter-culture. Development and promotion of sports being the main objective. However, that is hinged or based on the context of education on one hand and socio-culture on the other hand. Focussing on the child and youth development sport presented as a great aggregative and educational potential, especially in a disadvantaged context such as slums communities, contribute to social inclusion. Furthermore, KAK consider education a principle key factor not only for effective development of sports but also community change. KAK, through strong partnerships with international bodies,  local educational and sports organizations, intends to establish centres of excellence, free spaces, dynamic and safe zones for children to learn, grow and have fun within sports and leisure activities. All activities are designed with gender sensitive focus.    

KAK currently operate in but not confined to the slums of Nairobi and Kisumu.  Where activities are implemented in/from  2 hub centres in the slums of Mathare and Manyatta respectively. In these communities KAK runs 3 sports projects, a Basketball and Football since 2014 and more recently introduced Rugby. Directly benefitting, about 500 children, between age 6 to 18 years, and, 100 youths below 25 years old. 40% female while 60% male.   KAK also run a school based program that combines sports and life-skills education in 15 basic learning institutions (mostly private and community)operating within the slums of Mathare - Nairobi and, Manyatta – Kisumu which also directly benefits approximately 600 children per year. KAK uses the aggregative and pedagogical potential of sport like a strong key component to keep committed and easily involve the children but also to contribute to their physical and psychological health.

KAK mainly but not largely partners with international or foreign bodies for the implementation of these activities or projects and or donors are: Slums Dunk Odv (from the project SLUMS DUNK) an Italian based organization founded by Professional Basketball players. Their main focus is promotion of Basketball activities. The small now onlus (Italian) is focusing the football activities in Manyatta Kisumu and Joy formazione (Italian) focussing on the football activities in Nairobi. and finally but not least KAK has signed agreement with Rugby League Roo (Australian company) for a project to promote  Rugby activities in Kenya.

In Collaboration with other international and local associations and projects KAK has led the implementation of various sports, education, culture as well health and food security related projects or activities. Over the period KAK has organized trainings and capacity buildings, targeting local youth already actively engaged in these fields. Out of whom KAK recruits its human resource for voluntary or salaried services. Most  of the trainings are based on ToTs (Training of Trainers or Coaching the Coach) modules to enhance more coaching and managerial sklls or abilities at the grassroots.

prevousely have had the pleasure to  collaborate with other organizations and donors  to mention, Chiesa Valdese (Italian), Karibu Afrika Onlus (italIan), Tag International (American) through World Friends Onlus(Italian/kenyan). Our local networks include community based groups and learning institutions. 

 

PORTFOLIO

KAK has over fifteen years of experience in community sports and mobility of human resource and knowledge. KAK started implementing an exchange program for University Students with the aim to enhancing a network of Kenyan CSOs in 2006, with a main focus on training of trainers (ToT). Each year since 2009 KAK organizes coaching camps and clinics bringing together local and international/professional experts, from sports and educational sectors.

Current projects

SLUMSPORTS PROGRAM “Sports for Education and Empowerment of communities”

 2014 – to date: KAK’s main project. A Combination of all sporting activities aiming at improving sporting general life conditions of children and youth among the grassroots communities specifically in the slums.  Basketball, Football and more recently, Rugby are the on-going projects. Sport is a tool to involve, mobilize and attract the beneficiaries and to facilitate lifeskills and health education not only in 20 partner schools located in these slums but as well general advocacy and awareness to the larger community. Education is the answer for real empowerment of communities, children and youth. Special attention is given to gender balancing and women involvement. KAK runs these activities from two hub centres based in the sprawling Mathare slums and the semi urban Manyatta slums in the cities of Nairobi and Kisumu respectively. With attempts or piloting made to extend similar activities to rural communities particularly in Kisumu County.

The objectives or activities include: -

1. Development of sports infrastructures i.e. construction of Mathare, Pundo and Kabete Basketball courts, renovating   Kajulu and Kisumu Baptist courts as well Manyatta Kosawo and Pundo schools’ football fields,
2. To establish centers of development of sports talents and skills by ……. trainings for the beneficiaries through well trained and knowledgeable coaching team.
3. Organizing competitions. Clinics and exchange activities for the beneficiaries i.e leagues and tournaments.

The project has benefitted directly over 2000 school going children from the slums every year empowering them with skills in sports and health or lifeskills. Approximately 100 teenagers are beneficiaries of education scholarships as a result of athletic abilities to various high schools across the country and a few others securing scholarships abroad.

The program previously received funding in its combined status largely by Tavola or Chiesa Valdese  and partly by TAG International (American)led by World Friends Onlus.

SLUMSDUNK KENYA BASKETBALL PROJECT:  2012 - to date:  Initially started as a basketball training project binding basketball practice and social inclusion for marginalized coaches and players. Targeting youth development through quality basketball and lifeskills training camps done all over Africa. By 2015 became a full project running 2 basketball academies in Kenya and has since inspired formation of similar projects across the world. Every year the project trained group of 15 – 20 local basketball coaches initially also regional (east Africa) coaches.

1.  SlumsDunk Basketball Academy- Mathare Own a court in collaboration with Whynot School and community centre, in Mathare Nairobi. Approximately 150 beneficiaries

2. SlumsDunk Basketball Academy- Kisumu based at Kisumu Baptist church in Manyatta b. averagely 100 beneficiaries

Donor - Slums Dunk ODV       

SLUMSOCCER  PROJECT:  2012 – to date: Initially started BY WAY OF as tournaments organized between local youth groups or cbos and italain students on a cultural exchange program dubbed “Study Africa in Africa (SAIA)” based particularly in the slums of Nairobi and subsequently to kisumu and even to rural communities in some parts of Kenya. During such annual and sometimes quarterly events, groups and clubs would receive donations of sports equipments and materals collected by the students. These created a wave of inspiration and enthusiasm among the communites  and when KAK obtained registration it automatically became the first project. It subsequently inspred a noble project dubbed ”Altri Mondially (another world )Cup to south africa by matatu/road” to coincide with the 2010 world cup finals in south Africa. It immediately progressed to organizing a football training program involving young soccer coaches and players living in the slum of Mathare Nairobi.  Aiming at youth development through quality football and life skills training camps done in the slums of Kenya. Every year the project trained 1- 3 groups of 15 – 20 young soccer coaches. Based on these actvtes approximately 100 teens have obtained education scholarships either in local institutions or abroad. Majority basketball players.

KAK runs two academies under this project namely: -

1. SlumScores Soccer Academy based at Mathare polytechnic in Mathare Nairobi. Approximately 120 benefcaries
2. We Football Academy based at Manyatta School in Kisumu. 100 beneficiaries

Donor: KAK, Joy Formazione Onlus, The Small Now Onlus,

KAK - GRASSROOTS RUGBY LEAGUE PROJECT: 2022

Beginning Oct. 2022 KAK entered agreement with Rugby League Roo to promote rugby league activities in Kenya.  It’s Intended to take similar pathway to the above sister projects and is beng implemented concurrently at the two respective bases in Nairobi Mathare and Kisumu Manyatta slums.  

obectives/activities

1. establish training centres and programs
2. organize coach trainings  and conduct clincs for the players
3. promote the growth of grassroots  Rugby League in Kenya.

Donor: Rugby League Roo and Coachai.

 

Previous projects

Slums Dunk - Hoops for Kids project 2014-2017 led by a co-implementing partner world friends onlus the project aimed to promote life-skills among the youth through sport in Mathare and Manyatta slums in Nairobi and Kisumu respectively. An attempt was made to extend similar activities to three rural villages (Pundo, Kabete, and Kajulu) in Kisumu County. Constructons of pundo and kabete basketball courts. 

 

weaving the parity “Tessere la Perita”  2012 -2013: The project intended to improve gender equality and women empowerment through the promotion of income generating activities for the economic independence of women from the men. Include provision of tailoring training for over 20 women, purchase of tailoring equipment and a start-up of business activities for 4 groups of women residing in various slums of Nairobi (Kibera, Mathare, Kayole and Mathare gong including a refugee group.

Funded by Regione FVG, and the French embassy

Cultivate the future food security  2012 – 2013: The project was intended to sustain the achievement of food security of (jukumu letu kindergarten based in Ngong, Mathare slum, Kajiado county formerly rift valley province, Kenya) through the construction, start up and management of a school organic garden, equipped with a green house with drip irrigation system to provide the daily feeding for children, and an ad hoc training activities on organic agriculture and marketing on agricultural products to guarantee the self-sustainability of the project.

Funded by Fondazine Raphael, Karibu Afrika Onlus, Jukumu Letu among others

Jukumu letu  2012 – 013: This project aimed to sustain the achievement of the food security of Jukumu Letu (kindergarten  based in Ngong township through the construction, start up and management of organic production activities (crops and honey). Activities included trainings, marketing and installation of green houses and bee keeping equipment and water storage. As well as awareness activities both in Kenya and Italy. About 20 persons small scale farmers and environmentalists undertook training courses.

Funded by, Fondazine Raphael, Karibu Afrika Onlus, Jukumu Letu among others

 

Inside Mathare project2012:  The project was intended to inspire quality education in the Mathare slums through the development or improvement of education facilities and establishment of a self-sustainable agricultural space for the pupils and teachers of the Whynot junior academy and the community of Mabatini.

In collaboration with, Livein Slums Onlus and Karibu Afrika Onlus.

Kunaction (Training for empowerment 2011 – 2012: sports ToTs in Nyanza and Nairobi regions, project management, web designing and basic it courses at the Kunashule training centre Kibera Nairobi. And distribution of a socio economic grants to youth CBOs. 6 sports ToTs (15-20 participants each), football training clinics for youth teams conducted, over 40 youths trained in basic IT, over 20 teachers trained in pedagogy, over 40 youths trained on micro enterprise and group management.

Funded by Karibu Afrika Onlus (SAIA, Bianco Nero)

CinemArena  2010  - 2011: KAK partnered in an advocacy campaign in the formerly Nyanza province on Malaria prevention and child rights using sports and video as communication tool funded an led by the Kenya Italian Embassy. Targeting the run down areas of towns and rural communities. KAK used this opportunity as well to gather possibilities for expansion of its operations beyond Nairobi.

Bianco Nero 2010 – 2013: Black – White is a social tourism program of intercultural trips that gave opportunity to sensitize people to responsibly visit Kenya. Participate in the activities of Karibu Afrika Kenya and local partners. Besides enjoying the natural beauty and diverse culture of Kenya. Permitting the opportunity to the participants to see and experience the contradiction of Kenya without prejudices.

This the other project which not only generated money for itself but also to support activities of partner groups. Each year Bianco Nero organized 2 – 4 groups of 5 – 10 persons mostly from Europe Italy. Like SAIA this project was disrupted by the insecurities caused by upsurge of terrorist activities of 2013 in kenya.

 Kunashule  2009 – 2012: Construction of a training centre for pedagogical trainings for complimentary school teachers and children, languages, sports management, computer packages, video reporting. The centre was managed by hope international school composed and run by majorly refugees from great lakes region. The centre was located in Kibera though the school in race course for this reason among others the project included provision of school bus. The bus was also intended to ease transport costs for KAK partner institutions and groups attending “Kunaction project“trainings and exchange programs at the centre.

The facilities at the centre included, a linguistics room, Information technology, science laboratory, garden, hospitality, and a conference rooms.

Funded by among others, Karibu Afrika Onlus, Itaca, koinonia Community, Liceo majorana school, the gussago community.

Altri Mondiali  “from Kenya to South Africa by Matatu” 2010: KAK organized and led a sports and development advocacy campaign tour across 7 African countries, from Kenya up to South Africa, during the Football World Cup, comprising of local Kenyan and European Italian team advocating on the impact and importance of sports as a tool for socio- economic development, in collaboration with CoLomba: Cooperazione LOMBArdia, visiting communities through various organizations local and local south of Sahara (Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Swaziland and South Africa) and funded by Guna Spa, Coop. Lombardia, Decathlon.

Study Africa in Africa (SAIA) 2006 – 2012: This project or course was meant to give opportunities to European university students to get to know the realities of Africa first hand, its cultures and politics through a direct contact with Kenyan grassroots organizations, social workers and youth willing to share experiences. It provided the basic funding for other Karibu activities in the initial stages. The participants not only financed their tour but also contributed towards micro-activities of local partner groups based in the various slums of Nairobi ( Kibera, Mathare, Kawangware, Kayole). Until the project continuity was disrupted by the rising insecurities caused by Alshabaab including the bombing of Westgate mall and other.

 A self-funding activity where, participants contributed for the entire tour. and the surplus used to support activities of choice among the partner local network groups. From which KAK build a web of friendship among university students, and italian organizations. Some still collaborate to date. Over 20 groups of 15 -20 students were achieved in a period spanning 7 years.