Through his Kick Off To Hope organization, former Kenya Musa Otieno is helping cushion vulnerable communities at Nairobi’s Maringo Estate from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The organization has supported about 600 families in the low-income area, located a few kilometres from the City Centre, with most of beneficiaries families of players who turn out at the Kick off To Hope Academy.
“Most of the players’ parents have lost income because a huge number do contractual jobs which are no longer available. And that means that even the players themselves are not eating well. We have started a program where we have set aside five dollars for each family and we have started with our players,” Otieno told CAFOnline.com
“We have supported about 600 families and this is the part we have decided to play at this time of distress. We buy food packs of at least five dollars and distribute them,” further added the former defender.
At the same time, at the Dr. Krapf Primary School where his Academy trains, Otieno has helped put up a water tank that will be used to harvest and store water which will be used by not only the school but the community at large.
“This area often has a challenge of water and now when we are telling people to wash their hands, we need to ensure that water is readily available. We are experiencing heavy rains now and we need to take advantage to harvest the water which will be of help to everyone,” said Otieno, who captained Kenya at the 2004 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia.
The Kick Off To Hope organization started six years ago and it has expanded to include almost 200 upcoming players in their portfolio. Otieno said he was pushed to start the organization because of the lack of attention to the grassroots and especially in the Maringo area he grew up in.
“We have big names coming out of Maringo every time; the likes of Brian Mandela, Dan Shikanda, my younger brother Erick Omondi, George Waweru…. the list is endless. We have a lot of talent here but what usually lacks is the leadership,”
“I decided to come back from South Africa six years ago and give back to this community and try to build something as well. My dream is to use football to give these young kids a hope and at the same time, give them mentorship and leadership,” Otieno who has played in South Africa with Santos FC and in the United States with Cleveland City FC noted.
At the Dr. Krapf Primary School whose field they use for their practice sessions, Otieno has partnered with donors to repaint the entire institution, refurbish some classrooms as well as donate computers to be used for ICT classes for the young pupils.
His Academy has at least 150 kids as at now, with the hope of expanding once they acquire their own land to put up an academy and better training grounds.
“We do not only train these kids in football but also life basics. We do social work with them and also ensure they do computer classes because the word is changing and we need to equip them for the future,” he states.
“We want to try change their lives as well through football. If we change one or two lives, for me that is success. Kenyan football needs leaders and that is what we are preparing them for; on and off the pitch.”
He believes they are on the way to making something big in the area, maintaining that once they get their own land, the success will be even bigger with better facilities. He also hopes to partner with clubs in the Kenyan leagues to have some of his elite players scouted.
Even as he continues giving back to the grassroots, something he says he is fully passionate about, Otieno who has had two separate stints as the Harambee Stars assistant coach still hopes to get the top job some day.
“I am doing my papers to earn more badges. It is still my dream to coach the national team and hopefully one day I can achieve it,” Otieno, who has also had a stint coaching second-tier side FC Talanta in recent past.
The soft-spoken defender currently ranks as the most capped national team player with 106 appearances under his name.
Source: cafonline.com