7 May 2007 - Canterbury Youth FC in Kenya

Canterbury Youth in Kenya

  

Kisumu in Kenya lies on the banks of Lake Victoria . The temperature is in the mid to late thirties for most of the year. It is a beautiful and picturesque area. However, Kisumu does hide a tragic secret – over 40% of the residents have AIDS or are HIV+. This means that Kisumu has more than its fair share of orphans and orphanages. Jack Sandham and his family went out to visit one of these orphanages at Easter and helped organise a football tournament in the city. The Cherry Brierley Children’s Home is home to 40 orphans whose parents have either died or cannot afford to look after them. For example, Ambrose below is the latest addition to the home.

 

 

 

His mother died a few years ago and his father just last month. He is now happily looked after by the wonderful managers of the home. Jack’s vision was to help the orphanage organise a football tournament between other orphanages in Kisumu. On Thursday 27^th March, 7 teams from different orphanages with over 100 people turned up at the Jomo Kenyatta Gardens to play football and have fun together. The tournament was entitled the Canterbury City Cup and teams competed for this awesome trophy!! Thanks to donations from the club and parents, Jack and his family were able to take over 100kgs of football kit to give out to the different teams.

  

          

 

Each team received a bag containing football boots, socks, shorts and tops.

 

As you can see below they were delighted to receive these gifts and very appreciative.

 

       

 

       

 

       

 

Hopefully the tournament will become a regular feature in the life of Kisumu orphans and it will stimulate them to get together. The cost of the tournament was less than £50. This included drinks, hire of the pitch, hire of the goals, (which were plastic chairs). It just goes to show how a little bit of creativity and vision can make a huge difference. This event was possible because many many people got involved. Hopefully it will be an ongoing event and we will inform you about developments. So Canterbury Youth should feel very proud that they have helped the lives of needy children many thousands of miles away in Kenya .

 

If anyone reading this would like to contribute any old or unused football kit or boots that they have perhaps grown out of then please contact us via the web site.