For Kenya’s Leylavine football is the family sport
|Leylavine from Kenya has been part of the programme with Vijana Amani Pamoja since she was nine.
At 17-years-old you might think Leylavine Msimbi is one of the youngest players at the 2024 Africa Women’s Cup, but Leylavine jokes that in the Kenyan team, “I’m the oldest and I’m the shortest!”
Growing up in Kenyan capital, Nairobi, with her parents and brother, football was the family sport. Leylavine explains: “We come from a background where everyone plays football, even my mum, even my dad. My mum was the one who fixed me with the organisation – my dad was always saying, one day, one day [I will play for Kenya]. So, I see that day is coming. I’m proud to be in that family.”
Joining Vijana Amani Pamoja (VAP) at nine, Leylavine has grown up on the football pitch – but it’s the lessons she’s learnt off the pitch which she believes are the most important.
The programme has taught her about gender-based violence, menstrual health, female empowerment and how to support others and share her knowledge.
“It’s important to raise awareness because I come from the ghetto in Nairobi, there is a lot of gender-based violence where I live, there is rape, there are fights between couples. The women don’t have support. They have taught me so I can help.”
Leylavine believes talking is key to changing gender-based violence: “Communication is key, communication between couples before they start a fight. A lack of communication, lack of knowledge and when they don’t trust their partners, it can lead to violence.”
As well as raising awareness of gender-based violence, Leylavine also supports women and encourages them to report it to the police.
Back on the football pitch, Leylavine rejects the thought that football is a men’s game – “When I was going to training, people were like ‘huh, she’s a girl and she’s playing soccer’ and I’m like, ‘yeah, I’m a girl and I’m playing soccer and I’m good, I feel good.’”
“In Kenya women are going to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup 2024, so we can do it. Football is not just for men, so if you’ve decided to play football, put your best foot forward and keep training.”
The Africa Women’s Cup took place in Arusha in Tanzania from 29-30th June 2024. Leylavine played for Kenya, which is represented by Vijana Amani Pamoja (VAP).
The tournament is part of a two-year FIFA Foundation funded programme which is bringing together four African Homeless World Cup member countries – Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe – to raise awareness of gender-based violence and develop and implement a new curriculum to help protect vulnerable women.