In a remarkable achievement for the football community of Naivasha, twenty-three talented young footballers are gearing up for the 14th edition of the East African Chipkizi Cup Tournament 2023, set to unfold in the city of Arusha, Tanzania this December.

Hailing from New Hope Sports Centre, these young athletes are eagerly anticipating their participation in this prestigious event, which is slated to run from the 11th to the 17th of December.

This tournament is set to host over 300 grassroot teams, uniting football enthusiasts from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, DR Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Cameroon.

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The New Hope Sports Centre will be fielding one team, in this tournament, the New Hope Elite under 13.

These promising youngsters are poised to display their skills on an international stage, in a competition that promises to be a grand showcase of emerging talent.

In an interview with the Centre Director, Coach Joseph Mwaura, he highlights that the Chipkizi Cup offers a unique opportunity for these budding football stars to catch the eye of scouts from national and international teams.

The New Hope Sports Center Director, Coach Joseph Mwaura.

Photo credit: MERCY KIHUGU/MTAA WANGU

It is a testament to the Centre’s dedication to nurturing sports talents and providing a vital platform for young athletes to shine on the global stage.

"The tournament represents a tangible outcome of the boys' hard work, encouraging them to continuously improve and strive for success," Mwaura says.

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However, Mwaura notes that they had to scale down the number of teams from the academy to participate in the tournament from three to one due to financial constraints.

This journey began in 2014 when the centre started as a weekend soccer outreach program, slowly evolving to address the pressing needs of children and teenagers in the community.

One issue that spurred the centre's expansion was the prevalence of fatherlessness among many young boys in their community.

Mwaura discloses that 45% of children in their programs come from single-parent homes, and 25% are total orphans.

“Recognizing the need for a more comprehensive approach, we decided to do more than just outreach programs and train the players from the centre,” he notes.

Notably, the New Hope Sports centre is not just limited to providing opportunities for vulnerable children and teens aged between 5-17 years.

They have also extended their reach to children and teens with disabilities, even establishing a Blind Football Team in collaboration with one of the primary schools in Naivasha.

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Additionally, they've undertaken an inspiring initiative to empower young people in prison at Naivasha Maximum Prison through the power of sports.

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Naivasha's New Hope Elite break boundaries, qualify for regional football tournament

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Mercy Kihugu