What is A-STEP?

Africa Sports & Talents Empowerment Program (A-STEP) is a community-based organisation operating in Kenya. In 2002, A-STEP was founded by Timothy Lusala to engage young people in the community through sports. The organisation now has as its main objective the mobilisation, motivation, training and development of young people to free them from social problems such as crime, poverty, prostitution, drug abuse, criminality and violence. The organisation uses the power of sport for peace building and conflict management. 

A-STEP assembles sports teams from mixed tribes and genders and engages the youth of these teams in a structured process to play football and other sports disciplines. In addition, A-STEP works on conflict management and helps young people to be leaders and role models in their age groups and communities. A-STEP also shares information on social struggles and issues such as HIV/AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse and poverty issues using a Sport's Peace Curriculum, designed and updated with the help of Grassroots Soccer.

A-STEP coaches and team leaders organise various sports activities (football, athletics, korfball, volleyball), as well as music, drama, concerts, dance and discussions that bring together youth from different communities. A-STEP consists of about 70 coaches who coach youth teams under 14 (36 teams), under 17 (14 teams) and over 18 (16 teams). The youth teams are located in different parts of Eldoret. There are now a total of about 2,000 participants, ranging in age from under 14 to over 35. 

A-STEP was established with the main objective of helping youth and children develop their talents and potential. The target group comes from the rural and urban area in Uasin Gishu province. This region has experienced problems with inactive youth and children due to single-parent families, lack of parental care, HIV/AIDS and poverty. These issues have numerous consequences, including poor education, high crime rate, early marriages, teenage pregnancy and drug and alcohol abuse.

However, children and young people can demonstrate their developmental potential through sport in this challenging environment. For instance, children in Kenya use sport as an alternative activity, to pass time, for relaxation and peaceful coexistence. There have been tremendous successes where such talents have become role models. The mission of A-STEP is to facilitate the maximisation of talents and opportunities for development through sports. A-STEP's vision is to create a united, empowered and developed society.