Since 1987, the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) has been helping young people become responsible citizens and develop healthy bodies and spirits. The organisation is a pioneer in linking self-help youth sports with community development. Its activities include providing training and organising tournaments within the 16 most deprived slums of Nairobi. Today nearly 25,000 boys and girls in over 1,600 teams are involved in MYSA’s programmes, which include environmental clean-ups, AIDS prevention, leadership training, slum libraries, drama, dance and other community service programmes.

MYSA is uniquely owned and run by young people from the community, who work as coaches, referees and organisers for the organisation’s programmes. Former participants and the Mathare United professional teams are involved in community service work and have proven to be role models for the young people living in the Mathare area, one of Africa’s largest and poorest slums.

In 2006, MYSA won the tournament at the streetfootballworld festival 06 in Berlin during the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Germany.