Tag Archives: World Gifts

Charles Ochieng, karate captain & chairman of St. John’s Sports Society, Korogocho

My name is Charles Ochieng. I’m 28, and I grew up in Korogocho slum in the Kenyan captial Nairobi. Here there is high poverty and unemployment, and lack of basic services like water & schools.

There are only two playing fields for the 70,000 young people living here, and young people easily get into drugs and violence.

There’s the quote from the American president, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country’. I tell my friends, ‘as young people, no-one will bring change to the slum unless we bring it for ourselves first’. 

Karate 

When I was young, I’d get in a fight every week. Where I went to high school, a lot of the other boys came from posh areas, and they’d make a joke but I’d take it as an insult. There was a lot of violence where I grew up, and I reflected it. 

What helped me most was joining the karate club when I was 18. We were taught rules and to respect your teammates. 

Since then I’ve changed my life. When I play I have to play hard to score points, but it must be within the rules. 

Now I’m in the Kenyan national karate team representing my country. Last month I was in position number two in the Nairobi province. That was my happiest moment. I’ve won medals before but that tournament is the most competitive, with so many players, so I was really proud. 

St. John’s Sports Society 

I am also the Captain of Karate at St. John’s Sports Society in Korogocho, which CAFOD funds. We also have football, netball, weightlifting and tae-kwon-do teams, unique within the slum. 

As well as playing sport, all captains, coaches and players in St. John’s Sports must do service to the community as well. For instance, clearing rubbish around the area. 

Sports is one of the best ways to bring the youth together. Through playing at St. John’s, the youth have got to know each other, which brings more peace living together. 

St. John’s brings people together, irrespective of their ethnic background, as one united community. 

Leadership 

Last year I got elected to be chairman of the whole society. It’s an honour to represent all the St. John’s captains. When I walk around Korogocho they know me as the Chairman! 

But as a leader, sometimes you can feel pressure and criticism. You have to strike decisions quickly that everyone will abide by and soul-search if it will be the right decision. 

It was also through sport that I was spotted and taken to study youth ministry. I studied courses in counselling and learnt to deal with the most vulnerable people. Since then I’ve been able to change the lives of young people in the informal settlements, getting people to stop violence, or off drugs and into sport. 

Changing my community 

We still don’t have peace in Korogocho. The political leaders shouldn’t mistake calm for peace. Because if the issues of poverty and marginalisation aren’t addressed, the violence is there. 

The youth are the most energetic, and can really drive things forward, but they need to be involved. But politicians make decisions about Korogocho and don’t consult us, or don’t help us at all. 

My dream is to take St. John’s forward, and to shape Korogocho. I want people to say, ‘Charles was somebody who united the people of Korogocho to chart their own destiny.’ 

Give – Cafod’s World Gifts include the Gift of Football which for £10 supports a young person through a sports programme in a country like Kenya.

Get involved - Join Team CAFOD in the 2010 Great North Run on September 19 and make a difference to people living in some of the world’s poorest communities 

Read  how - Scores of young Liberian footballers are wearing Newcastle United football shirts, donated to CAFOD’s partners in memory of soccer hero Sir Bobby Robson.