Unemployment in Kenya stands at 40%, with 70% of those people unemployed and between ages 15 and 35. High unemployment contributes to escalating crime and insecurity. Among the urban poor, the majority of young people have no workplace skills and are excluded from productive economic and social life.
In the slums of Mathare, home to 800,000 people, young women turn to prostitution while young men resort to joining gangs. Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) works with 30,000 young people annually, integrating work-readiness sessions and football leagues across Nairobi city. MYSA teaches FIFA-certified skills such as coaching and refereeing, offers vocational training and foundational entrepreneurship skills, and raises awareness of HIV/AIDS.
In the slums of Mathare, home to 800,000 people, young women turn to prostitution while young men resort to joining gangs. Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) works with 30,000 young people annually, integrating work-readiness sessions and football leagues across Nairobi city. MYSA teaches FIFA-certified skills such as coaching and refereeing, offers vocational training and foundational entrepreneurship skills, and raises awareness of HIV/AIDS.