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AEGIS European Conference on African Studies
11 - 14 July 2007
African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
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The Silent Revolution: the development of women's football as an indicator for social change in Kenya
| Panel |
9. Setting a New Agenda for African Studies
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| Paper ID | 27 |
| Author(s) |
Obrien, Clare Jamal
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| Paper |
No paper submitted
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| Abstract | Faced with the appalling socio-economic conditions in Nairobi slums this paper looks at the way small groups of women are changing their lives. Football offers them socio-economic support as well as hope and inspiration for the future. This paper shows that football can provide a template for social change. This paper is the first to look women's football in this particular context. This paper uses photo-voice as a methodology to provide a current synopsis of the women's situation. Two main arguments emerge. First, football teams are responding to the increasing mortality rate among primary caregivers by assuming the function of nurturers and economic providers. Second, football players are finding a more accessible source of hope and justice on the pitch rather than in the organized church activities, which up until this point have been the most significant inspiration in the players' lives. Despite the obstacles to using football as a means for social change the conclusion reached in this thesis is that women's football in Nairobi is serving as a tool to provide a higher quality of life for the female participants. These research findings could be extended to explore a new way of encouraging self-generated social development in Nairobi slums. |
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