Six children from Kibera, Nairobi, will represent Kenya at Festival 26, an international youth sports event in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, from July 5 to 13.
Organised by Boston Scores and Sport dans la Ville, the festival will bring together more than 400 young people from 24 countries for a week of sports, leadership training, cultural exchange, and community engagement.
The Kenyan team, selected through Carolina for Kibera (CFK Africa), comprises three boys and three girls aged between 13 and 16.
Among them is 15-year-old Erick Manchang, a pupil at Ngei Junior School. He plays as a defender for Millennium Soccer Academy.
The team also has Faridah Mahmoud, 14, a pupil at State House Primary School. Faridah said she is eager to meet people from different countries and learn from them.
“I’m excited as I will have the opportunity to meet other young people and watch a World Cup match live. My dream is to play for Harambee Starlets one day. I look up to midfielder Mwanahalima ‘Dogo’ Jereko,” she said.
“She has supported me throughout my football journey. This will be the first time I have flown abroad, and I am very happy,” said Manchang, who admires Manchester United defender Harry Maguire.
The other children are Harriet Achieng (Olympic Junior School), Nigel Mali (St. Elizabeth Primary School), .Valary Ayuma, Rungiri High School and Nehemiah Ongori Ayora (Gifted Hands Educational Center).
Fair-play football tournament
The other African organisations taking part are Youth Sport Uganda (Uganda), Tibu Africa (Morocco), the Fafali Organisation (Ghana), and Oasis Reach for Your Dreams (South Africa). In total, 48 delegations from five continents will participate.
The event aims to empower young people through sport and leadership training. Participants will compete in a fair-play football tournament featuring mixed-nationality teams and attend leadership workshops. They will also take part in cultural exchanges and tour Boston’s historical, cultural and scientific landmarks.
They will also watch a quarter-final match of the 2026 Fifa World Cup. These will be played between 9 and 11 July in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City.
Delegation leaders will attend a ‘Soccer for Good’ forum to discuss how sport can improve the lives of young people. Festival 26 is held every four years, with Kenya set to make its debut this year.
The previous edition was held alongside the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and brought together around 500 young people from around the world.
In Kibra, football is an activity that unites young people, and the Laini Saba grounds continue to host community tournaments that have produced several talented players.
Keith Obiero, the CFK Sports Lead, said that over 500 children from Kibra, Mathare, Mukuru kwa Njenga, Viwandani, Kangemi and Kiandutu had applied for the trip.
CFK Programmes Manager Mediatrix Tuju said: “This will be the first time most of the children have travelled by air. Through our programmes, we create opportunities for youth living in informal settlements. This experience will open their eyes to the possibilities that football can create beyond the pitch.”
Football is a key part of CFK Africa’s youth development programmes. Founded in 2001, the organisation uses sport to promote community development and social inclusion.
It established the all-girls football league and now runs educational, health and sports programmes across 26 informal settlements in Kenya. CFK sponsors both the Kibera Girls Soccer Club, which plays in the Football Kenya Federation Women Premier League and National Super League side Kibera Black Stars.
