History
Timothy and Paul
Core Founders of A-STEP
A-STEP was firstly initiated as a football team by a group of youth volunteers led by Coach Timothy Lusala in 2002. The concept was to engage the youth in the community through competitive sporting. The group expanded its outreach to players in the organized groups like community churches, schools and Community Based Organizations (CBO).
A-STEP got a big boost during an invitation to Tanzania for a tournament organized by Christian Sports Contact (CHRISC) of Norway in 2004. In a bid to have the youth get bus fare to Moshi, the youth collected and sold beverage bottles to Coca Cola Company in Eldoret and raised adequate fare that was topped up by CHRISC. The turnaround was witnessed after the trip when every youth among the 40 started one football team each, within one month of returning from the inspiring tournament in Tanzania, and by the end 2005 there were over 800 youths and kids engaged in sporting within the area of operation.
A-STEP was formally organized, expanded and registered in December 2006 as a Community Based Organization (CBO) when Co-founder Paul Ketelaar visited Kenya during his internship in Sportsmanagement while studying at Amsterdam University of Applied Science (Hogeschool van Amsterdam). Since then it has leaped with focus and vigour in reaching out to the youth. A-STEP has in the last five years organized over ten city wide sports tournaments in Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties. The themes of these tournaments were Economic empowerment, Life skills trainings, Building capacities of the Community, Groups and youth in peace, HIV/AIDS, Child Protection (delinquency & abuse), Drug and alcohol abuse awareness among others.
In 2007, after the post-electional violence in Kenya after 500.000 people were displaced, A-STEP played a significant role in Red Cross Sports and Peace Program in refugee camp Eldoret. A-STEP voluntarily participated in organising various sports activities. The psychosocial benefits from the practice of sport help to address the trauma of flight and the distress resulting from displacement. Sport programmes serve as a positive and productive activity for the internally displaced persons easing many of the problems they face including violence, limited access to education and broken family structures.
In the year 2008/2009, A-STEP promoted sports among the communities in this region with a bias for the youth and children from the urban slums and rural poor. Due to its work, a number of community support groups have been set up by different stakeholders to support A-STEP’s work at the grassroots. The organization was also involved in some relief and development work, partnered with the Kenya Red Cross Society in assisting the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result of the 2007/2008 post election violence. A-STEP partnered with Peace Net Kenya and Oxfam in Electoral Violence Response Initiative through Sports and also partnered with Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) in Integrating Youth in Sports and conflict resolution. The organization partnered with Mercy Corps in Strengthening Peace in the communities through Local Empowerment for Peace through Sports (LEAP Sports). This support enhanced HIV/AIDs awareness campaigns Initiative, which the theme was Kick and Test where the main aim is to see an HIV free generation.
At the beginning of 2009, A-STEP's program had 64 teams (about 1,280 youth), all of them football teams, in two age brackets: under-18 and 18-25. In April 2009, A-STEP partnered with Mercy Corps to implement the LEAP SPORT program funded by Nike Inc.
The organization was supported by Ketelaar’s family from the Netherlands and PAX CHRISTI of the Netherlands during its early stages of inception and currently partners with government departments and sports associations in its programs.
In 2017, A-STEP relocated from Uasin Gishu County to Kakamega County, whereby the organisation is located in Kamashia Village, Mumias East Sub-County. The oganization continues to work with the national and county governments in youth empowerment through sports.
Today, A-STEP continues to champion and demonstrate the place and power of sport. By using peace building and conflict management through youth mobilization, engagement, and fight against vices like HIV/Aids, Drug abuse and Crime. A-STEP also uses sport in advocating for the best interest of the child as stipulated in the UNCHRC, The African Charter and the Children’s Act in Kenya’s constitution.
A-STEP got a big boost during an invitation to Tanzania for a tournament organized by Christian Sports Contact (CHRISC) of Norway in 2004. In a bid to have the youth get bus fare to Moshi, the youth collected and sold beverage bottles to Coca Cola Company in Eldoret and raised adequate fare that was topped up by CHRISC. The turnaround was witnessed after the trip when every youth among the 40 started one football team each, within one month of returning from the inspiring tournament in Tanzania, and by the end 2005 there were over 800 youths and kids engaged in sporting within the area of operation.
A-STEP was formally organized, expanded and registered in December 2006 as a Community Based Organization (CBO) when Co-founder Paul Ketelaar visited Kenya during his internship in Sportsmanagement while studying at Amsterdam University of Applied Science (Hogeschool van Amsterdam). Since then it has leaped with focus and vigour in reaching out to the youth. A-STEP has in the last five years organized over ten city wide sports tournaments in Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties. The themes of these tournaments were Economic empowerment, Life skills trainings, Building capacities of the Community, Groups and youth in peace, HIV/AIDS, Child Protection (delinquency & abuse), Drug and alcohol abuse awareness among others.
In 2007, after the post-electional violence in Kenya after 500.000 people were displaced, A-STEP played a significant role in Red Cross Sports and Peace Program in refugee camp Eldoret. A-STEP voluntarily participated in organising various sports activities. The psychosocial benefits from the practice of sport help to address the trauma of flight and the distress resulting from displacement. Sport programmes serve as a positive and productive activity for the internally displaced persons easing many of the problems they face including violence, limited access to education and broken family structures.
In the year 2008/2009, A-STEP promoted sports among the communities in this region with a bias for the youth and children from the urban slums and rural poor. Due to its work, a number of community support groups have been set up by different stakeholders to support A-STEP’s work at the grassroots. The organization was also involved in some relief and development work, partnered with the Kenya Red Cross Society in assisting the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result of the 2007/2008 post election violence. A-STEP partnered with Peace Net Kenya and Oxfam in Electoral Violence Response Initiative through Sports and also partnered with Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) in Integrating Youth in Sports and conflict resolution. The organization partnered with Mercy Corps in Strengthening Peace in the communities through Local Empowerment for Peace through Sports (LEAP Sports). This support enhanced HIV/AIDs awareness campaigns Initiative, which the theme was Kick and Test where the main aim is to see an HIV free generation.
At the beginning of 2009, A-STEP's program had 64 teams (about 1,280 youth), all of them football teams, in two age brackets: under-18 and 18-25. In April 2009, A-STEP partnered with Mercy Corps to implement the LEAP SPORT program funded by Nike Inc.
The organization was supported by Ketelaar’s family from the Netherlands and PAX CHRISTI of the Netherlands during its early stages of inception and currently partners with government departments and sports associations in its programs.
In 2017, A-STEP relocated from Uasin Gishu County to Kakamega County, whereby the organisation is located in Kamashia Village, Mumias East Sub-County. The oganization continues to work with the national and county governments in youth empowerment through sports.
Today, A-STEP continues to champion and demonstrate the place and power of sport. By using peace building and conflict management through youth mobilization, engagement, and fight against vices like HIV/Aids, Drug abuse and Crime. A-STEP also uses sport in advocating for the best interest of the child as stipulated in the UNCHRC, The African Charter and the Children’s Act in Kenya’s constitution.
