Tujiamini, the groundbreaking initiative launched by SportPesa in February, continues to transform the landscape of sports and talent development in Kenya.
This comprehensive initiative aims to nurture and support grassroots talent across various disciplines, with a specific category catering to the hugely popular football but extending far beyond it.
While football is a sport loved by Kenyans throughout all counties, and with the largest number of players in comparison to other sporting disciplines, Tujiamini is about much more than just football. The SportPesa initiative has three other categories - gold, silver, and bronze - aiming to reward lesser-known but equally impressive and important talents.
At its core, Tujiamini is an initiative that traverses the country, seeking to instill a sense of pride in Kenya's sports and talent ecosystem. The name "Tujiamini," which means "let's believe in ourselves" in Swahili, encapsulates its mission to boost confidence and provide tangible support to emerging talents.
Financial Support:
The SportPesa lead initiative has made up to 30 million Kenyan shillings available to help individual and team talents achieve their dreams in 2024. This substantial financial commitment is crucial in a country where many aspiring athletes and performers often lack the resources to pursue their dreams.
More Than Sports Sponsorships:
While winners of the Cheza Dimba football tournament receive a comprehensive three-year sponsorship package worth 250,000 KSh per year, Tujiamini's support extends far beyond football. The Jiamini Awards, separated by regions and awarded monthly, provide a platform for young talents across various fields to showcase their skills and potentially launch professional careers.
Grassroots Development:
The Jiamini category caters to a wide range of athletes and talents, with prizes ranging from financial support of 10,000 KSh to the Gold award of 500,000 KSh. This support helps talented individuals continue playing their sport longer, from aspiring Football players to Olympic athletes, musicians, dancers, and content creators, Tujiamini has been instrumental in identifying and empowering diverse talents at a regional and grass-roots level.
Expanding Opportunities:
Tujiamini's impact extends well beyond popular sports like football, long-distance running, and rugby. The initiative strives to support talents across various fields, recognizing and nurturing potential in different areas of sports and performance. Lesser-known sports and talents from croquet to cricket, darts to dance-sport, golf to gaming, and skateboarding to singing have all seen representation. Even sports psychologists and junior academys have taken home various awards.
Regional Focus:
By dividing Kenya into regions and designating a specific month for each, Tujiamini ensures that talent from all parts of the country has an equal opportunity to benefit from the initiative. The unique regional awards calendar for the Cheza Dimba, Gold and Silver awards has seen each regions uniqueness, talents and culture shine through.
Women's Empowerment:
Tujiamini has made significant strides in empowering women in sports. In May, Fridah Ndinda became the first female Tujiamini gold winner, an aspiring 10,000m runner hoping to follow in the footsteps of successful Kenyan women such as Faith Kipyegon. Women applicants still minor in comparison with the number of applications from their opposite sex. It’s hoped throughout the initiative we see an equal number of applicants and winners from both sexes.
The recent announcement of the inclusion of women’s sides to play at the Western Cheza Dimba Tournament should help share the message to aspiring female athletes and talents, that Tujiamini is open and looking to support them.
Long-term Impact and Community Engagement:
The support provided by Tujiamini goes beyond immediate financial assistance, helping to build sustainable careers for young talents across various fields. Events like the Cheza Dimba tournament have become focal points for community engagement, fostering a sense of pride and unity around homegrown stars.
Through the recent Bronze kwa ground awardees, Tujiamini has thrown support behind the un-sung heroes of sports at the SportPesa 7s series. These celebration of fans and businesses, security and affiliated personnel of sports and talent events in Kenya, show the ambitious goals of Tujiamini to impact and uplift the sports eco-system.
In conclusion, Tujiamini represents a unique approach to talent development in Kenya, extending far beyond football to encompass a wide range of sports and artistic pursuits. By providing support, creating opportunities, and fostering a sense of national pride, the initiative is playing a crucial role in shaping the future of Kenya's diverse talent landscape.
Whether you need a new pair of boots to get you playing next season or a flight to compete and the next diamond league or e-gaming event, Tujiamini is here to help you achieve your dreams.
For more information and to apply for Tujiamini, interested individuals, teams, clubs and affiliations can visit www.tujiamini.co.ke.