Mission & History

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Our mission since 2014

Every child has talent – but in Kenya, too few children get the chance to discover, develop, and use that talent. Safe and healthy sports activities are out of reach for many. With this in mind, the Kenya Youth Hockey Development Foundation was established. Together with our partners, we offer vulnerable children and youth in Kenya a new perspective through hockey. Our program focuses on their holistic development: we strengthen their physical health, mental resilience, and social skills, while also providing educational support. Through sport, we help build resilient young people with opportunities for a better future.

Together with our partners, we offer vulnerable children and youth in Kenya a new perspective through hockey.

The Beginning

2014

While looking for a hockey pitch in Nairobi, Erik van der Dussen met former international player Tom Olal. Ten children were playing barefoot with seven sticks and five balls. With support from the hockey community in Breda, a vibrant program for vulnerable children was born. From that point on, the steps seemed to follow naturally. You could call it a “circle of good” – and we’ve got countless examples to prove it.

  • The fundraising campaign in Breda brought in sports shirts with the eye-catching logos of Janus Vaten and Oryx. For entrepreneurs Pim Janus and Ewout Slooff, that was the catalyst to become actual sponsors. Thanks to their support, we were able to provide children with weekly hot meals, clean drinking water, and fresh fruit from the start.

  • Ronald Lugthart couldn’t stand seeing the children barefoot and tackled the problem: he made sure every child – thirty at the time, now over three hundred – got a new pair of shoes.

  • When we added an orphanage to the program and gave them a beautiful goalie outfit, we realized there were no goals at all. Jules Delahaije laughed and built two new goals in his workshop. To this day, they’re still the best in Africa.

This flying start hit the mark right away.

Unbridled Growth

2015–2018

Year after year, more young talents joined the program at the City Park Hockey Stadium. Some came individually, others in groups from informal communities like Kibera or an orphanage in Ngong Hill.
With support from Rabobank, five girls received hockey scholarships and a path out of the slums.
Clubs like Push, Voordaan, Forescate, and of course HC Breda donated equipment. Boudewijn Rip even arranged a full set of hockey gear for an orphanage – including a substitute bench.
Many developments happened spontaneously, but turned out to be pure gold.

KYHD Team
Plans & Finance

Repositioning

2019–2023

During this period, we grew from one local event to multiple locations and partnerships. In 2021, our foundation was officially registered as an ANBI (Public Benefit Organization).

Thanks to Kenyan high schools offering our children hockey scholarships – and our material support to those schools – mutual opportunities expanded.

Together with Herman Kruis and the Johan Cruyff College, we developed an impactful program that still forms our foundation today. All volunteer coaches took a course on child sports psychology and the mental aspects of sport for underprivileged youth.

Our Most Dynamic Year Yet

2024


Thanks to loyal sponsors, six new partners, and the dedication of our local volunteers, we were able to realize our ambitions. We placed extra focus on girls, who often have fewer opportunities and need more protection.

The number of active participants grew significantly, driven by new programs and players.

  • Twelve girls and four boys were selected for the national under-21 pre-selection.

  • New initiatives included school support, computer courses, mental health sessions, and the Rabobank Hockey Star Academy.

  • More than 200 pairs of shoes were funded by the Stichting Katholieke Wezenverzorging Breda.

  • Hockey clubs Breda, Voordaan, Zutphen, Forescate, Leonidas, and Groningen donated sticks, gear, and uniforms.

  • Thirty students from Isendoorn College visited, brought hockey equipment, and played with the children.

  • The Breda Girls Under-12-2 team and the Impala youth team started an exchange focused on hockey skills and culture.

  • Every child received a mouthguard for better dental protection.

  • Since October, Bavaria Smalt has been providing sports drinks for training.

  • Jet de Graeff, a former international player, joined the local management team and brings energy and deep commitment to the children.

KYHD Team