Sport contributes to positive youth development in many ways according to the Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) Academy document. It fosters values like teamwork, responsibility, and discipline. Sports also provide opportunities for employment and help youth discover their talents. MYSA uses sports to promote social inclusion regardless of traits and fights discrimination. While MYSA does not directly target crime prevention, keeping youth occupied through their programs and developing leadership skills helps reduce crime as a beneficial byproduct. Over 20,000 youth participate in weekly activities and peer counseling programs.

1. MATHARE YOUTH SPORTS ASSOCIATION
(MYSA)
By Henry Majale
MYSA Academy

2. Sport for Development and Crime Prevention

4. How does Sport contribute to Positive Youth Development?
Sport contributes to advancing youth development in many ways:
 Through creation of employment as professional sportsmen.
 Inculcating values of teamwork, fairness, hard work and responsibility for positive
community well being.
 It gives Youth the opportunity to discover their talents, abilities and
realizing their potential.
 Sports can be linked to other key development areas in society like education, health and
environment. This helps the youth develop awareness of key societal issues early in life.
 Sports leads to Discipline and focus in an individual life

6. Does Sports contribute to social inclusion for young
people?
 In MYSA teams are formed on the basis of neighborhood, proximity to each other’s
house, school etc and never on the basis of tribe, religion or others

Sports leads to reconciliation and peace, by inclusion of all persons irrespective of
ethnicity or race or gender .

Sports fights discrimination especially for the disabled groups

7. What is the role sport can play in crime prevention essentially?
Sports can be used to nurture community values, like
Respect for elders
Rules
Responsibility
Morality,
Teamwork,
Respect and fairness which are essential in molding holistic athletes and citizens
Teaches social skills to the young girls and boys and influences them positively.
 Sport reduces idleness among the youth and helps in developing whole citizens
and athletes who discover their roles in the society.
Sport creates employment in diverse ways. These values are the foundation in
preventing crime at later stage

8. What is the role youth themselves play in crime prevention?
The youth play a key part in crime prevention and as they are the most vulnerable to
crime. Their role is based on:  Discovering positive programs they can do for their community.
Serving their own communities as youth leaders and role models ensures they
keep away from crime.
Youths learn from other youths through peer education and role models
 The desire to be part of an organized group like MYSA encourages the youth to
keep away from crime.

9. What is the role girls/women play in crime prevention?
As girls/women are the most vulnerable when it comes to crime.
-Taking up leadership roles as elected members of youth committees where they play
a role in decision making.
-Mentorship of young girls and women, increases the confidence of girls an
understanding their rights.
-Having places to go and report cases of abuse and other crimes they see around
with confidence and no fear of retribution. E.g. sms reporting.
--Creation of forums to discuss girls/women issues and coming up with solutions

10. Can sport be used as a preventive tool for crime or is crime
prevention a by product of sport for development youth programmes?
Crime prevention is more a by product of sports for development rather than a tool for
crime prevention in MYSA. MYSA has no direct interventions targeting crime but we
do fight crime using the activities:  Around 20,000 young people participating in weekly activities keeps them busy and
engaged reducing chances of committing crime.
Peer to peer counseling , sms counseling, help desk
Leadership roles as elected council members, coaches, referees and other team
leaders.
Leadership awards to 500 awardees every year keeps them in school
Community libraries encourages a culture of reading and setting positive goals for
the future.
Participation in youth exchange programs either abroad or locally e.g Norway cup,
East Africa cup where besides participating in sports they also learn in workshops.
MYSA value systems

11. Asante Sana
Thanks you