Jeff Kinyanjui gets up-close and candid with Coach Hannington Olewa of Dagoretti Santos Academy to learn about how Soccer is keeping the youth of Dagoretti off the Streets.
The bell rings to signify the end of school work at Jamhuri Primary School in Nairobi. It’s 16:30 hours; fourteen-year old Joseph Masinde grabs his bag and rushes out of the gate. By 17:00 hours he is supposed to be training with his Dagoretti Santos teammates at the Dagoretti Grounds in Nairobi.
Masinde is one of the many success stories of the Dagoretti Santos Academy. The former street child speaks fondly of the academy.
“I would still be in the streets were it not for the efforts of our Coach. I will forever be indebted to him,” the soft-spoken boy says.
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| Joseph Masinde |
Hannington Olewa is the coach who single-handedly takes care of almost 100 kids at the Dagoretti Santos academy. He has endured tough moments but he says his love to see the kids prosper in life is what motivates him day in day out despite the hardships.
His 14-year-old daughter, Mary Asiko, was kicked out of school early last year (2011) after he lacked money to pay school fees and just last month his family was locked out of their house due to unpaid rent accumulated for over four months.
Coach Olewa washes cars at the Dagoretti Shopping Center during the day to generate income in order to feed his family and then spends his evenings and weekends coaching the kids at Dagoretti Santos.
“These kids are very talented and just watching them play gives me joy. I might be suffering now but I know God will repay me one day for the work I’m doing.’
“If I don’t engage them and keep them busy through football, most of them will end up in the streets either as street children or criminals,” he adds.
Olewa is a former goalkeeper having played for the now defunct Re-Union FC in Kenya and also the Nairobi Select FC back in the early 90s.
Some of the people who have passed through his mentorship are Kenya’s top striker Dennis Oliech who plays for French side Auxerre FC, Samuel Misse Mwangi who now plays for Kenyan giants AFC Leopards and Raymond Odhiambo who plays for FC De Chile in Canada. |
| Coach Hannington Olewa at Practice |
“Dagoretti Santos is what made me whom I am today. I still go to watch the kids play and I know they are destined for greater things,” Misse says.
“Olewa always told us that discipline and hardwork was the key to success. Most of the guys that we were with through the youth ranks at Santos did not make it to the top leagues, however being involved in the Dagoretti Santos program kept them off the streets engaging in drugs or criminal activities. “
Mwangi Misse attended trials with Belgian side Zulte Waragem in 2006 while aged 17.
“Hey Jeff we have a friendly match tomorrow (Saturday 14 July 2012) at our ground, will you come?” Olewa asked me.
I had other engagements for the day but had to cancel them and attend the game. So at about 1300 hours I’m at the Dagoretti Grounds. The visiting team has already arrived and has started warming up ahead of the match that was scheduled to kick off at 1330 hours. Only four Dagoretti Santos players have arrived.
“Hao wasee wengine wako wapi?” (Where are the other players?) Olewa asks one of the kids.
“Mi sijui lakini nimekutana na John akanishow anakam ameenda kuomba boots.” (I don’t know where the rest are but I met John on my way home and he told me he’s gone to borrow soccer boots from his friend), the boy answers.
The game kicked off at 1430 hours, one hour late than it was scheduled to. Some of the Santos players played barefooted but the team still managed to win the game 3-2.
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| Dagoretti Santos Academy with Coach Olewa in red Jacket |
“All the kids in Dagoretti Santos come from poor backgrounds and therefore football offers a sought of refuge to them and acts as a safe space for their growth. The uniforms, cons, balls and the few boots we use here were donated to us by Youth Initiative Canada a Non Profit organization that was started by James Kamau who was born and raised here in Dagoretti,” Olewa intimates to me.
Dagoretti Santos is working in partnership with Youth Initiative Canada to build lasting change where youth in Dagoretti and other communities in Kenya can have access to sporting opportunities & quality education without having to worry about the financial limitations.
Dagoretti Santos is working in partnership with Youth Initiative Canada to build lasting change where youth in Dagoretti and other communities in Kenya can have access to sporting opportunities & quality education without having to worry about the financial limitations.
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| Dagoretti Santos with James Kamau inset |
This dream requires a collective effort from people inspired to support youth through the community spirit of "Each One Reach One". Learn more about how you can get involved at www.youthinitiativecanada.com
Dagoretti Santos is among the beneficiaries of Container of Hope campaign by YIC. http://t.co/QaPcz1dU
It starts with one! Mahatma Gandhi
It starts with one! Mahatma Gandhi
Story by Jeff Kinyanjui
