Mariam Lanji Msah, 26th November 2025

A new youth empowerment initiative, Champions of Faith, has officially been launched with the aim of nurturing a generation of Muslim youth who are strong, confident, and spiritually grounded. The program seeks to provide young people with meaningful activities during long school holidays periods that often leave many parents worried about how their children will spend their time.

Speaking at the launch, the program’s founder, Yasin Mohammed, said the initiative was inspired by the growing concern over the lack of structured, faith-conscious activities for Muslim youth. He highlighted the reality that idle time during holidays often exposes young people to harmful habits, peer pressure, and unproductive routines.

“Many of our youth end up in environments that don’t reflect their values,” Yasin said. “I witnessed Muslim youth participating in sports events run by non-Muslim groups, and it was clear that the environment lacked spiritual guidance and a sense of identity. I asked myself: What if we created our own space? Champions of Faith became the answer.”

The program aims to fill this gap by offering a holistic combination of sports, Islamic values, mental wellness support, education, and community involvement. Through this approach, the initiative hopes to help youth grow not only as athletes, but also as disciplined and purpose-driven individuals.

During the launch event, youth, parents, and community leaders gathered to celebrate the start of what many believe will become a transformative movement. The initiative has already received strong support from several Islamic institutions. JAMIA Mosque, along with multiple mosques and organizations across Nairobi, was well represented signaling widespread confidence in the program’s mission.

Leaders emphasized that this is just the beginning. Plans are underway to expand the initiative beyond Nairobi, creating a nationwide network that empowers Muslim youth across Kenya.

Champions of Faith envisions raising a generation that is confident in its faith, proud of its identity, connected to the community, mentally strong, and ready to lead both in sports and in life.

The timing of the launch was described as ideal. A representative of the FKF President, Salma Kwamboka, commended the initiative and reinforced the importance of encouraging Muslim youth to pursue excellence in sports without compromising their values. “This is the moment to guide our youth with dignity and purpose,” she noted.

As the event concluded, the message was clear: Champions of Faith is more than a program it is a promise. A promise that Muslim youth will have a safe, inspiring, and spiritually fulfilling environment to grow. With every match played and every skill learned, the initiative hopes to build a stronger and more grounded generation.