The man who conceived Football for the Goals at UN Headquarters in New York came face to face with his idea in action in Nairobi, watching young people bring it to life on the pitch in Kariobangi.
Maher Nasser, Director of the Outreach Division at the UN Department of Global Communications, joined the Simama Amani Mtaani Tournament 2026, organized by Simama Community Based Organization (Simama CBO). Sixteen teams took part in a football tournament, learning and community engagement under the Football for the Goals initiative.
"Football for the Goals is about hope. It is about commitment to human rights, to climate action and to all the Sustainable Development Goals, in practice," Mr. Nasser said as the matches got under way.
Beyond the game, the tournament gave young people a space to explore peace, human rights, sustainability and inclusion.
From Scars to Purpose
Simama CBO runs football activities for children aged 10 to 16 and programmes for youth aged 18 to 35. The organisation was formed in the aftermath of Kenya's 2007 post-election violence, with a mission to promote peace in Kariobangi and surrounding areas. Its work has since grown into programmes that give young people and marginalized communities opportunities to learn, participate and build skills.
"Simama has been in existence for over 10 years, and during this period we have been able to impact and transform the lives of over 8,000 youth and children," said Emma Odhiambo, Simama's Programmes Coordinator, during her engagement with Mr. Nasser.
Four years after its launch, Football for the Goals continues to use the popularity of the game to connect the Sustainable Development Goals with the realities young people live every day.
Disability Inclusion and Gender Equality
Inclusion is central to Simama CBO's work, which includes programmes for persons with disabilities, among them children with cerebral palsy. The organization is built on the belief that everyone in the community has the right, and the opportunity, to contribute to a peaceful society while developing new skills.
For girls and young women, football is also creating a space of their own.
Susan Njoki of Kahawa Pride Football Club presenting during an engagement with Mr. Maher Nasser, Director Outreach Division, Department of Global Communication
Susan Njoki, a member of Kahawa Pride Football Club and part of the Football for the Goals Initiative in Kenya, has spent more than nine years in the game. For her, football has also been a platform for advancing gender equality.
"We have managed to register over 100 girls doing different activities," she said. "One of my proudest moments is seeing a functional football girls' team."
In and around Kariobangi, football sits within a wider ecosystem of activities, from advocacy and peace initiatives to computer training and practical skills such as photography.
Simama CBO opens its doors to young people, then gives them more reasons to stay, building a community that reaches well beyond the pitch.
Beyond the Pitch
Young people who come to play leave with new skills, new connections, greater confidence and opportunities they might not otherwise have found. Football is the entry point. The wider goal is to give them the tools, spaces and opportunities to shape their communities and their own futures.
For Mr. Nasser, this reflects the vision the United Nations had for Football for the Goals, with impact starting at the community level. Since its launch on 6 July 2022, the initiative has grown to 480 teams worldwide, 12 of them in Kenya.
Mr. Maher Nasser, Director Outreach Division, Department of Global Communication with children under football team run by Simama Community Based Organisation
Fifteen members of the initiative were also presented with footballs to continue advocating for sustainability and community-driven action at the grassroots level.
"Local is where change starts," Mr. Nasser said as the match went on.
