Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA): Nairobi, Kenya

Location: Huruma Community – Mathare Township – Nairobi, Kenya

Host organisation: Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA)

Mission: Linking Sports, Community Leadership and Sustainable Development in Africa by: Creating opportunities for physical, personal and community development; Empowering young people and building their self-esteem; Empowering young people to become responsible citizens and environmental preservation experts.

Target population: Girls and boys ages 10-18 years

Football-based programmes since: 1987

Network Member since: 2002

Football for Hope Implementing Partner/Client:

Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA)
http://www.mysakenya.org/

Working Vision:

To empower the youth through sports and to create future leaders.

Client description:

One of the leading organisations within the Development through Football community, MYSA celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2006. For the past two decades, the Nairobi-based organisation has grown to include 60 staff members and over 7,000 volunteers. MYSA is making great strides toward helping youths become responsible citizens and develop healthy bodies and spirits. Activities of the organisation include providing training and organising tournaments within the 16 most deprived slums of Nairobi. Youths are involved in leadership training, environmental cleanups, HIV/AIDS awareness programmes, and other community service activities.

In cooperation with participating schools, MYSA has also devised special curriculum for training teachers who are encouraged to incorporate the organisation’s positive message and methods into their school’s agenda. The organisation involves approximately 20,000 young people, of which over 14,000 youths are currently participating in the football programme. MYSA participated at the streetfootballworld festival 06 in Berlin, Germany, and was crowned Street Football World Champion!

End-users: Girls and boys ages 10-18 years.

Working Mission:
To provide the youth of Huruma slums and neighbouring communities in Kenya with a social centre for training on self-help, sports, education and health activities so they can better help themselves and their community.

Proposed Activities:

Football: Youth leagues, street soccer tournaments, meeting area, training space and facilities for the local community football teams, over 1500 registered MYSA members and the entire Huruma community.

Education: Book reading, Homework space, Group discussions, Road shows, Performing arts, Informal schools festivals, Leadership awards programme, story writing etc.

Health: Peer education, Conducting Kicking Aids Out activities, Provision of free sexual infections treatment, Counselling services, Youth resource centre, Distribution of condoms

Location:
Huruma Sports Ground – Mathare Township – Nairobi, Kenya
near Mathare Road and Huruma Road, Huruma Sports Ground is a officially recognized by Nairobi City Council as a recreational area.

Timeline for Construction:
6 months

Programme:
Competitors are challenged to design a small-size pitch (20m x 40m) with surrounding space for spectators (e.g. seating on elevated ground, etc.) as well as classrooms and media, health, conference and educational facilities that can offer young Africans the chance to further their scholastic and sporting education while providing health and social services. The Football for Hope Centres will be located on the sites of existing Football for Hope Implementing Partners, strengthening their activities in the community in order to improve basic education, prevent diseases and promote health as well as encourage the social integration of minorities and disadvantaged populations.

Design Considerations:

Participants are challenged to incorporate the needs of the community and to employ sustainable and/or local building materials and construction methods to realize their design. There is the potential to create shared services to the community at large, including access to water, power and other support services.

The artificial turf for the football pitch will be freighted to the site in two standardized shipping containers and are free to be utilized in the design if the designer chooses to do so.

Points to be taken into consideration in the concept phase: future prospect of these Centres, expanding in terms of capacity and infrastructure, creating a self-sustaining model for the host community group and becoming development hubs for the training of social entrepreneurs.

Space Considerations:

Football pitch (pre-defined size, equipment and look, delivered and installed by Greenfields)

• Size: Length 40 m and Width 20 m

• Surface: artificial turf, green

• Orientation: Preferred orientation of the field is with the goals facing N.N.W. and S.S.E.

• Goal: Placed in the middle of the goal line; Width 3 m between the goalposts; 2 m height (between crossbar and the ground); Goal posts 8 cm; Nets, made of hemp, jute or nylon; Depth of the goal shall be at least 80 cm at the top and 1 m at ground level; Goal placed solid in the ground.

• Boarding: Option between solid boarding and fence boarding. Approximately 1m high.

Community Components

• Classroom/Conference room

• Basic Health Care Facilities

• Internet Cafe

• Common Space for larger gatherings/ Recreation area

• Office for staff members

• Reception area

• Library area

Other Components

• Two toilet blocks with change rooms(boys and girls)

• Rainwater catchment and management system

• Grandstand style seating around pitch (e.g. seating on elevated ground)

• Entrance Area and perimeter fencing

• Parking (for 3-5 vehicles inc. 2 mini-bus/vans)

• Integration in the local landscape requested

• Use of local materials and local community involvement requested

General Considerations:

• The Centre should be designed in a way that future expansion is possible. The idea is that the basic unit, as described above, develops over the years in regional development hubs/sustainable business.

• The building should be in close proximity to the pitch to create a visual and physical connection between the two entities.

• The site must be integrated into or situated near existing pedestrian routes, ensuring a continuous flow of individuals in and around the centre.

• The building site should be connected to existing community spaces, creating a communal and open atmosphere.

• Signage, vehicular access and parking, lighting, landscaping and services will be determined as part of the design process and included in the detailed site plan.

Total Area:
200 m2

Construction Budget: USD 85,000

Projected Timeline – 2009:

February 12th: Criteria of facilities distributed to interested parties

February 26th: Conceptual Designs due by interested firms

March 3rd-5th: Architecture for Humanity and Football for Hope site visit

March: Design workshops on site with client, architect and broader community

April: Design Development

May: Construction Documentation

June: Code and Building Permit Approvals

July - December: Construction

June 2010: 2010 FIFA World Cup