KESA AcademyKibera Elite Soka Academy

Our commitment

Child, gender & safeguarding policy.

KESA works with children, young women and young people who are already vulnerable. Their safety comes before football, before results and before the reputation of this organisation. This is our public commitment and the standard we hold ourselves to.

  • Every child has the right to be safe, heard and treated with dignity.
  • Girls and women take part on equal terms, in conditions that are safe for them.
  • We have zero tolerance for abuse, exploitation, harassment or discrimination.
  • Concerns are acted on — always, and without punishing the person who raised them.

Version 1.0 · Adopted August 2026 · Next review August 2027 · Owned by the KESA Board

Report a concern

If something about KESA worries you — something you saw, something a child told you, or something that just feels wrong — tell us. You do not need proof and you do not need to give your name.

Email the safeguarding leadCall +254 111 686 150

If a child is in immediate danger

Do not wait for us. Contact the authorities first, then tell KESA so we can act on our side.

Police / emergency
999 or 112
Childline Kenya — free, 24 hours
116
Directorate of Children’s Services
Your nearest Sub-County Children’s Office
Nearest police station
Gender & Child Protection Desk

Purpose and who this policy covers

This policy sets out how KESA protects the people in our care from harm, and what everyone connected to the academy must do to keep them safe.

It protects all children under 18, women and girls of any age taking part in our programmes, and adults at risk — anyone whose age, disability, health, poverty or circumstances make them less able to protect themselves.

It applies to everyone acting for KESA: board members, staff, coaches, volunteers, mentors, physiotherapists, first-aid responders, interns, contractors, visitors, partner organisations and anyone representing us at an event, on a trip or online.

Accepting a role at KESA means accepting this policy. It is not optional, and it is not limited to the pitch.

The harm we are guarding against

Safeguarding is not only about the worst cases. We treat all of the following as harm and act on all of them:

  • Physical abuse — hitting, corporal punishment, physical "discipline", or training used as punishment.
  • Sexual abuse, harassment and exploitation — any sexual contact, advance, comment or image involving a child; any sexual conduct that abuses a position of trust; any offer of selection, kit, money or favours in exchange for sexual acts.
  • Emotional abuse — humiliation, threats, sustained shouting, isolating a child, or attacking a child's confidence.
  • Neglect — failing to supervise, ignoring injury or illness, or leaving a child without safe means of getting home.
  • Bullying and discrimination — including on grounds of sex, tribe, disability, health status, religion or family background.
  • Gender-based violence — including violence in the home, early or forced marriage, and female genital mutilation.
  • Online abuse — grooming, harassment, or sharing images of children without consent.

Protecting women and girls

Girls in Kibera face risks that boys often do not, and a football programme that ignores that is not a safe one. Our girls' football and girls' mentorship programmes are built around the following commitments:

  • A female Safeguarding Focal Point is available to any girl or woman who wants to raise a concern with a woman.
  • Girls' sessions are supported by female coaches or mentors, and girls are never left alone with a male adult.
  • Private, separate changing and toilet arrangements, or clear alternatives where facilities do not allow it.
  • Safe travel — we plan how girls get to and from sessions, and do not let sessions end after dark without a safe arrangement home.
  • Menstrual health is treated as normal. No girl should miss football for lack of sanitary products or a private place to change.
  • Girls at risk of early or forced marriage, FGM or violence at home are supported and, where needed, referred to the statutory authorities and specialist services.
  • Sexual harassment of any kind is a dismissible offence, regardless of who it comes from or how senior they are.

Code of conduct for coaches, staff and volunteers

Everyone acting for KESA signs and follows this code.

You must

  • Treat every child and young person with respect, and set the example you expect from them.
  • Stay in open, observable settings — sessions are visible to others; meetings with a child happen where you can be seen.
  • Report any concern, disclosure or rule breach — including your own mistakes — to the Safeguarding Lead.
  • Get parent or guardian consent for travel, medical treatment, photography and any activity away from the usual venue.

You must never

  • Use physical punishment, humiliation or discriminatory language.
  • Be alone with a child out of sight, or take a child to your home.
  • Transport a child alone in a vehicle unless it is an emergency, and then only with the Safeguarding Lead informed.
  • Have any sexual or romantic contact with a participant — including anyone aged 18 or over who is in your care, where the imbalance of power makes consent meaningless.
  • Give gifts, money or special treatment to an individual child outside an agreed programme.
  • Contact a child privately on social media or messaging apps; communication goes through parents, guardians or official group channels.
  • Attend a session, match or trip under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Safe recruitment and vetting

Anyone who will work with children at KESA — paid or volunteer — goes through the same checks before they start:

  • A formal application and interview that asks directly about working with children.
  • At least two references, taken up and checked.
  • A valid Certificate of Good Conduct from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
  • Verification of coaching, medical and first-aid qualifications.
  • A signed copy of this policy and the code of conduct.
  • Safeguarding induction before the first session, and a probation period with supervision.

Physical safety, medical care and first aid

Qualified coaches plan sessions that are appropriate to age and ability. Trained physiotherapists support player welfare and recovery, and first-aid responders are present at sessions and matches with a stocked first-aid kit.

We keep emergency contact and medical information for every registered player, obtain consent for emergency treatment in advance, and inform parents or guardians of any injury on the same day. A player with a suspected head injury is removed from play and does not return without medical clearance. Equipment, pitches and playing surfaces are checked before use, and drinking water is available at every session.

Photography, media and personal data

Photographs and video of our players are powerful, and they carry risk. We use them on these terms:

  • Written consent from a parent or guardian before a child is photographed or filmed for public use, and consent can be withdrawn at any time.
  • We do not publish a child's full name alongside their image, and never their home address, school timetable or precise location.
  • No photography in changing areas or toilets, at any time, by anyone.
  • Images are stored securely, used only for the purpose consented to, and never sold or passed to a third party without fresh consent.
  • Personal and medical data is kept only as long as needed, held securely, and handled in line with the Data Protection Act 2019.

How to report a concern

Anyone can report — a child, a parent, a coach, a volunteer, a partner or a member of the public. You do not need proof, and you do not need to be certain. If something worries you, tell us and let us look into it.

Report immediately, and in any case within 24 hours. If a child is in immediate danger, contact the police or emergency services first, then tell us.

What happens when you report

  • The Safeguarding Lead — or the female Safeguarding Focal Point, if you would rather speak to a woman — acknowledges your report and records it securely.
  • Information is shared only with those who need it to keep the person safe.
  • Any adult the concern is about is stood down from contact with children while the matter is looked into.
  • Where the law requires it, or where a child is at risk, we refer the matter to the statutory authorities — we do not investigate crimes ourselves.
  • The child and their family are supported throughout, and told what is happening in terms they can understand.
  • No one is punished for reporting in good faith. Retaliation against someone who raises a concern is itself a disciplinary offence.

Accountability, training and review

The KESA Board owns this policy and is accountable for it. The Safeguarding Lead reports to the board on every concern raised, how it was handled and what was learned.

Everyone working with children completes safeguarding training at induction and a refresher each year. Breaches are dealt with through our disciplinary process, up to and including dismissal and referral to the authorities — including where the person involved is a founder, a board member or a major donor.

This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and immediately after any serious incident, so that what we learn changes what we do.

Legal framework

This policy is written to align with Kenyan law and international standards, including:

  • The Constitution of Kenya 2010, Article 53 — the best interests of the child are of paramount importance.
  • The Children Act, 2022 — protection of children from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
  • The Sexual Offences Act, 2006 — including offences involving persons in positions of authority.
  • The Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act, 2011.
  • The Protection Against Domestic Violence Act, 2015.
  • The Data Protection Act, 2019.
  • The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.