Watamu Marine Association, Kenya: Managing Kenya's premier beach resort.

Sports Programme, Watamu

Sports activities can provide the answer to many of the social problems that Watamu unemployed youth suffer from, both girls and boys. Watamu Marine Association helps to promote self help youth groups and sports teams to realise their full potential

The Problems Facing Young People in Watamu
Watamu as a top tourist destination has an ever swelling population searching for employment. However due to the seasonal nature of tourism and the limited employment capacity of Watamu many local people face unemployment and poverty for the majority of the year. This inevitably affects the young people of Watamu who are some of the first to suffer and increasingly results in:
Drug abuse and dependency
Increase in juvenile crime.
Cross generation sex
Prostitution and increased risk to HIV/AIDS
Teenage sex and unwanted pregnancies and abortions
Other problems compounded by a lack of social education, support and awareness

Sports can help
Sports can make a positive difference by changing behaviour and attitude among the youth and members of the community, and through integrating sport into everyday life. Sport can instil a sense of team spirit, achievement, leadership skills, self worth and purpose as well as having an impact on health and reducing the chance of sickness and disease. Sporting excellence can help create employment opportunities and contribute to community development. In Watamu we have seen that sport is also linked to preserving a clean and healthy environment with youth sports teams becoming more aware of their environment and getting involved in village clean ups and tree planting events. Links between sport, environmental improvement and community development are now recognized worldwide.

Established Sports Activities in Watamu
Watamu has well established male and female volleyball and football teams. These teams have been successful this past year and participated in tournaments and won trophies at the district and provincial level. They now have their eyes set on national tournaments. Our community groups now want to set up a soft ball league. We are always on the look out to promote and support new less established activities, such as athletics, swimming, rugby and cycling. Our youth groups have seen that sports generates community pride and recognition. Most recently the teams took part in a Drug Awareness Sports Tournament.

How You Can Help

Sponsorship of tournaments - Our teams need funds for transport and accommodation to participate in tournaments and competitions.
Sponsorship of kits and equipment - Most teams don’t have either and have to pass around and share. Volley ball nets, volley balls and footballs are needed.
Sponsorship of trophies and awards for local competitions.
Funding or fund raising to help construct sports facilities and develop sports programmes.
Provide coaching and training.
Support exchange programmes with other teams/leagues

CONTACTS
Justin Kitsao and Steve Trott
email justinkitsao@yahoo.com; stevetrott@watamu.biz
web http:/www.watamu.biz
tel +254 (0)716284083; (0)721 275818

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