22,000 primary schools earmarked for women football development project

Foootball Kenya Federation (FK) is targeting 22,000 public primary schools for the initial implementation plan of the FIFA pilot project for grassroots women football development in the country.

FKF chief executive Robert Muthomi said the Sh100 million-project will focus on training of grassroots coaches, referees, football camps and leadership programmes. He made the announcement on Monday when he opened a coaching course for 22 sports teachers drawn from various primary schools in Mombasa.

“FKF will cater for training, transport and accommodation for trainees during the grassroots women football development programme,” he said.
FKF women development officer Doreen Nabwire hailed the flagship noting that it will help in improving the standards of women football in the country. “We are targeting girls as they have been susceptible to social vices like early and unwanted pregnancies. We also want to nurture their talent from the early age so as to develop their football and sporting careers,” she spoke on the sidelines of the week-long seminar.

In May 2018, FIFA Women Football expert Rachel Pavlou toured the country to assess women’s football landscape. Through her findings, FIFA will, through FKF, fund coaching courses, referee training and leadership workshops all aimed at improving women football in Kenya.
At the same time, Kenya has been selected to pilot a new women’s football development programme that aims at reaching at least 60 million female footballers by the year 2026.

FKF will also launch girls under-13 and under-15 leagues in partnership with primary schools that will be tasked with developing the next generation of Kenyan female footballers.

After Mombasa, the national football body will hold two more coaching courses in Kisumu and Nairobi with a referees course set to be held in Meru later this month.