Mathare United FC and 1xBet held the third phase of the 1xBet Mtaani initiative in Mathare, turning football into a platform for community engagement, youth motivation, and practical local support.
Held at the Mathare Depot grounds, the event brought together more than 3,000 fans, local residents, and young players for a day built not only around a match but around the wider idea of Football for Good. At the centre of the programme was a charity-style friendly match between Mathare United FC and New Mathare FC, which ended in a 1-0 win for Mathare United after Daglas Mokaya scored from a free kick in the 30th minute.
But the score was only one part of the story. The day was designed as a community event with a wider purpose: to create access, encouragement, and direct contact between professional football and the young people growing up around it.
Football as a point of access
The 1xBet Mtaani project was created by 1xBet and Mathare United FC as a grassroots initiative aimed at bringing football closer to the people of Mathare and using the game as a tool for opportunity, discipline, and connection.
Alongside the match itself, the programme included direct interaction between professional players and local talent, public engagement with residents, and practical support for a community team.
Players and staff from Mathare United held a mentorship session with members of New Mathare FC, sharing practical advice, personal experience, and reflections on what it takes to move through football with discipline and purpose. The session was led by assistant coach Gabriel “Kingi” Njoroge, midfielder Steve Kimari, and goalkeeper Robert Mboya.
Kimari described the moment as especially emotional because of his own history in the area.
“I’m overwhelmed by emotions to come back to this pitch where I used to play bare feet as a kid. Back then, it was our dream to play for Mathare United, so coming back here as a Mathare United player means a lot. I’m grateful for 1xBet for coming up with this initiative to bridge the gap between us and the grassroots teams.” he said.
Practical support and local engagement
The project also included direct support for New Mathare FC in the form of donated football equipment. At the end of the match, the team received footballs, training bibs, goal nets, space markers, cones, agility ladders, and whistles.
This practical element mattered because it ensured that the event would leave something tangible behind after the crowd had gone. In that sense, the initiative connected visibility with utility: people were not only invited to watch but also to benefit.
A representative of 1xBet said the project was designed with that long-term value in mind.
“We believe that football is a platform for opportunity, unity, and growth in communities like Mathare. 1xBet Mtaani project is about mentorship, empowerment, and leaving a lasting impact.”
For the club and the community team, the experience also had clear value. New Mathare captain Jeremiah Ochieng’ said the match and the interaction with Mathare United gave his team more than a result.
“It has been a great match and an opportunity to learn from our big brothers Mathare United. We might have lost the match but we have gained a lot today. We are grateful to 1xBet for organizing this game because it’s very rare for a Premier League team to come down to this level.” he said.
The Mathare event showed how 1xBet Mtaani is a community-centred initiative built around access, mentoring, and support. By bringing professional players, local talent, and residents into the same space, 1xBet and Mathare United used football not only to entertain but also to reinforce community belief and show how sport can serve a wider social purpose in Mathare.
