Sport for Kenyan Youth Employment (SKYE)
It uses Football (Soccer)
Entered the Sport for Quality Education and Employment Award
More about Sport for Kenyan Youth Employment (SKYE)
The Sport for Kenyan Youth Employment (SKYE) project harnesses the power of football and partnerships to equip marginalized young people from the Mathare slum with market-driven skills to access and succeed in the world of work.
In Kenya, approximately 800,000 young people enter the labor market every year, yet more than 80 percent of unemployed Kenyans are below 35 years of age. Thus, it’s clear that Kenya’s unemployment crisis is a youth problem. Directly responding to this challenge, SKYE leverages young people’s passion for football and engages them where they are most comfortable—the pitch—to support them to successfully transition from part-time athletes to full-time employees. To do so, SKYE provides disadvantaged young athletes from the Mathare slum with a holistic package of training services that includes work readiness and on-the-job technical skills training, national trade certification, mentorship, and direct linkages to jobs within Kenya’s growing construction sector.