Deputy chiefs of the inter-agency Standing Committee on Humanitarian Affairs, the UN came up to one of the informal settlements of the world's largest, where Fútbol Más works from the year 2016. The visit allowed, among other things, to know the reality of the community where they highlight the collaborative efforts of un-Habitat with allies like Valley View Academy, Mathare Community Park, Mathare Slums Community Association and Football in Kenya.

During the 16 years of the history of Foundation Football in the world, we have had the privilege of living experiences of different kinds. Some of them very inspiring, as all the people in a stadium to lift the Green Card in order to respect the anthem of a country, in addition to more than 140 thousand everyday stories of children and young people who have been part of the more than 600 programs that we have done in over 11 countries. From today onwards, we are happy to add to this list the visit of the deputy chiefs of the inter-agency Standing Committee on Humanitarian Affairs took place in our beloved community of Mathare.

The visit was aimed to understand and to liaise with the communities living in informal settlements in Mathare, in order to illustrate the multiple dimensions of vulnerability, in addition to face-to-face the active role of the initiatives led by young people and women as agents of change. It is expected that the results of this visit is to highlight the transformative power of intervention led by the community, building confidence, resilience and increasing the capacity of response to the crisis. In addition, the delegation of the inter-agency Standing Committee, composed of members of the Group of Delegates of the IASC highlighted the interdependence between the needs of the systematic development and the emergency humanitarian, underscoring the importance of addressing these issues in a comprehensive manner.

As a Foundation Fútbol Más, it is really an honor to the second world authorities of the top agencies of the United Nations have chosen to see what we do in Kenya. In Mathare, where a site visit was conducted, our work is very deep with the community. We are concerned with schools and local leaders, in areas that are extremely vulnerable, where hundreds of children have been able to develop skills for life through sport for development with our methodology. The visit of these authorities we are honored and obliged to continue to improve to be able to get to most places of the world,” says Guillermo Rolando, executive director and co-founder of Foundation Fútbol Más.

The Youth Network of Mathare, with the support of un-Habitat, included a number of activities during the visit. These included the exploration of the Youth Center of Mathare, which houses a day care center for children with disabilities, a community library, a platform for creative youth and other programs. Of course, the programs developed by Football were also addressed, where they met the work being done with young people in the promotion of spaces sociodeportivos for boys and girls.

“As Fútbol Más Kenya appreciate this visit, which allowed our guests to be able to connect with the realities on the ground, at the same time go about understanding the social organizations are doing to promote a more prosperous world, one that prioritises people and focuses on their needs. We extend a large Green Card to our guests and invited by their solidarity and commitment to understand the different realities,” says Sam Musembi, executive director of Fútbol Más Kenya and who officiated the host of the activity.

Football in Kenya

Beyond the pride we as an organization are able to receive this high-level delegation, we highlight the opportunity of being able to show the work that as an organization we have built from the 2016 in Kenya. During these 8 years, nearly 400 children have participated in the programs, Schools and Neighborhoods, in addition to nearly 9000 with which we work in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps refugees and largest of Africa. Today, and for the autonomy of the program in Mathare, we work together with the Plastiki Rafiki with workshops on recycling of plastic that would generate income and strengthen the autonomy of the communities in the management of sports programs.

La delegación fue conformada por Mr. Michal Mlynar, acting Executive Director (UN-Habitat), Ms. Joyce Msuya, assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA), Ms. Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commisioner (UNCHR), Ms. Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director General (FAO), Mr. Olivier Ray, Director of Mobilization, Movement and Partnerships (ICRC), Mr. Julien Schoop, vice president, Humanitarian Policy and Practice (InterAction), Ms. Ugochi Florence Daniels, Deputy Director General for Operations (IOM), Ms. Shoko Noda, Assistant Secetary-General, Assistant, Administrator and Director Crisis Bureau (UNDP), Mr. Andrew Saberton, Deputy Executive Director (UNFPA), Ms. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordinator and programme Results (UN Women) y Ms. Maria Dimitriadou, Special Representative to the UN and WTO for the Geneva Office (World Bank). Conoce más en https://interagencystandingcommittee.org/deputies-group

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