Kiambu County has formed over 20 football clubs and has begun engaging the youths in playing football as a way to curb tendencies to abuse drugs.
Among the football clubs include, Blue Raiders Academy, Kiambu Rising and Ack Cathedral among others.
Clubs like Blue Raiders Academy have two teams: the senior team, which comprises youths aged 17 to 22, and the junior team, which comprises those aged 16 and below.
“To ensure that we incorporate as many youths as possible, we have created two teams: one for the older youths and another for the much younger ones,” said Isaac Onyango, aka Saka, who coaches the Blue Raiders and Kiambu Rising teams.
Saka said the teams met at List four times a week for their weekly training and competed in a football tournament on weekends.
“This football has transformed the life of many youths as they barely have free time left to engage in alcoholism or any criminal activities, hence this helping also on matters of insecurity in the region,” said Saka.
Saka said many youths abused drugs and called upon parents and stakeholders to support the youths and encourage them to join such co-curricular activities to improve their talents.
“It has been a great experience working with these young stars. I remember when I started coaching them, many of them were into drugs and were members of criminal gangs,” said Saka.
“Football has also helped instil discipline and develop leadership skills among the youths. Some of them now hold leadership positions in their churches,” he said.
Simon Irungu, a boda-boda rider and a youth player at Kiambu Rising team, said he was glad to be part of the youth football club.
“Nothing makes me happy like knowing, I will get to meet with my fellow youths, after doing my work, for our football training and also get to train the upcoming young stars” he said.
Many times, idleness is cited as a key contributor to the youth engaging in alcohol and drug abuse
The football clubs have also been used as avenues for sensitizing the youths on the effects of using drugs
“We do meet up and learn the effects of drug abuse and how to seek help for ourselves and our friends as well,” said Joseph Mureithi, one of the players.
The youth football clubs have given them a sense of belonging in the community and playing football has nurtured their talents.
According to the latest report by The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) of 2022, the Central region is among the regions with the highest prevalence of drug abuse.
Additionally, the survey states that one in 6 Kenyans aged 15 to 65 were found to be currently abusing at least one drug.
According to Kiambu county NACADA representative, Wilfred Mbogo, there was a need for support to ensure that many youths joined the clubs to ensure that more youths were taken out of the streets.
“The youths now have something to engage their free time. We therefore need to support youth sports programmes at the county level and the grassroots,” said Mbogo.
Joining a sports team or academic club has been seen as a strong deterrent to drug abuse.
According to the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention Research shows that being part of a team leads to improved self-esteem, the ability to handle stress more effectively and productively, better academic performance and a healthier relationship with family members.