CBE curriculum spirit alive in Eastleigh as parents lead new wave of youth football development
With strong community involvement, a passionate coaching team, and structured training, Eastleigh is quietly carving its own path in youth football development. Parents are showing up. Coaches are giving their best. Children are learning, playing, and dreaming.
In many parts of Kenya, children’s talents often go unnoticed or unsupported. But in Eastleigh, particularly within Somali families, a quiet revolution is underway.
Parents are becoming more intentional about identifying and nurturing their children’s abilities from a young age. It mirrors the vision behind the Competency-based Education (CBE), which emphasises what learners can do, not just what they memorise.
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This holiday season, pitches in Eastleigh are buzzing. Parents are spending their free time taking their children to train, watch, and enjoy the game they love - football. One of the busiest spots is the turf at Eastleigh High School, home to Fazam Football Academy, where boys aged 7-15 train in a structured and supportive environment.
At Fazam, training is highly organised. Children are grouped by age and skill level to ensure proper coaching and development.
The academy operates three well‑managed pitches, each hosting different categories of players. Parents register their children and remain on the sidelines, cheering, observing, and taking pride in their kids’ progress.
Kevin Ochieng Lumumba, one of the academy’s tacticians, handles the Under‑15 and Under‑13 groups. He says his work is driven by a passion for both the game and mentoring young people.
Kevin Ochieng Lumumba, one of the tacticians at Fazam Football Academy, Eastleigh. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)
“I love coaching as it is my passion. Beyond football, we mould these young kids in social life, training them on how to interact with people in day‑to‑day life, instilling discipline in the young ones.”
For Lumumba, giving his players opportunities he never had is central to his mission.
“I chose to train these young ones as opposed to big guys because I want them to reach a level I didn’t have a chance to. At this age, kids have time to train and correct before they move into top‑tier leagues.”
Another coach, Abdiaziz Abdullahi, fondly known as Coach Bonge, manages the youngest group, the seven‑year‑olds, alongside Coach Sebastian. He notes that Eastleigh’s growing population and rising buildings limit space for sports, making academies like Fazam essential.
“I urge Eastleigh residents to join us here at Fazam. We enrol throughout the year, during holidays or school time. Bringing children to play here fills a gap we lack so much as members of Eastleigh.”
Coach Bonge says they enrol children aged four to 16. With a laugh, he explains the basic requirements: “First, you need to have a kid. Second, come to our office at Gate B of Eastleigh High School. Payment depends on age, as we categorise children.”
Abdiaziz Abdullahi. He coaches seven-year-olds at Fazam Football Academy, Eastleigh. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)
“We have good quality balls of different sizes, depending on age. Our goal is to produce the best players in Kenya, and I see our training accommodating youthful players in the future.”
Still, the academy faces challenges, mainly limited training time and dealing with parents unfamiliar with football.
“One of the biggest challenges is parents who don’t understand football. When they enrol kids, it becomes difficult. Another challenge is time, since we train on a high school pitch with fixed hours. For those interested, we train Thursday to Sunday, plus Tuesday and Wednesday.”
To understand why parents remain pitch‑side during training, which is uncommon in many Kenyan neighbourhoods, The Eastleigh Voice spoke to Said Fatah, a parent whose son Suhaib joined the academy six months ago.
“We joined this academy six months ago, and we’re making good progress.”
Said says his son had never played football before joining Fazam, but the improvement has been remarkable.
“That was the first time he played soccer, but now I see a lot of improvement. This is good for the community and for other kids.”
His dream is simple: “My motivation is for my kids to be professional players one day. This is the beginning, but it’s a long journey requiring patience, training, and hard work. The coaches are doing their best to help us reach our goals.”
Said Fatah, one of the parents whose child trains at Fazam Football Academy, Eastleigh. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)
Said also praises the academy’s rapid growth, noting it has expanded significantly in just a year.
“This club is new, almost a year old, but making good progress. Seven months ago, it was smaller, but now there are levels from age five to under‑21. Many kids are joining, and progress is clear.”
Asked why parents in Eastleigh are so involved, he attributes it to the community’s desire to keep children active and grounded.
“The motivation is to keep kids fit. Sports make them motivated to do well in school. When kids are fit, happy, and motivated, they enjoy their studies.”
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