Giving youth a sporting chance an and off the field

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MYSA uses sports to engender broad socio-economic development, while also effecting positive social change. MYSA pioneered the linking of sports with social improvement and community development activities such as slum garbage cleanups, environmental improvement and HIV/AIDs prevention. Twenty five years on, it is now the largest self-help youth sports and community service organization in Africa and is recognized as an example of excellence within the sport and development world. MYSA continues to use sports activities, particularly football, as an innovative and effective way to get youth involved in helping themselves and their communities.

Over the years the organization has expanded its activities to include other sports; arts and culture, health education, photography youth offender repatriation programme and even community libraries. In total, the organization has directly impacted over 200,000 youth. MYSA’s most distinctive quality is the fact that it is owned and managed by the youth themselves and that it is genuinely a community driven organisation. The average age of the MYSA officials, volunteer leaders and coaches is only 15-16 years old. But despite their age, these young leaders have themselves benefited from MYSA programmes and have an amazing enthusiasm, dedication and drive to continue the organisation’s work.