A Sports Academy in Dandora, Nairobi
The neighborhood is built around the largest dumpsite in East Africa. In 2023, between 80 and 100 young people came to the center every day.
Donate Now Read Our StoryWhat Happens at the Center
The Dandora Dumpsite Sport Academy (DADSAC) runs a center in Dandora, a district of Nairobi built around an open-air dumpsite. The football pitch is bare earth, marked out with tires.
The children arrive after school. Some head straight to training, others sit down with a notebook or a sheet of drawing paper. Everyone eats before going home, often under a tree.
The programs and activities page sets out the training sessions and the workshops, during term time and during the holidays. The photo gallery gives an idea of the place.
The Story of DADSAC
DADSAC was founded in March 2021 by John Kirai and Oskar Crettenand. John, a long-time resident of Dandora, had already been supporting children in his community for over ten years.
In 2021, Oskar traveled from Switzerland to work with the Kenyan NGO Call Africa. Together, moved by the challenges faced by Dandora’s youth, they decided to create DADSAC to offer them targeted support.
Our Team and VisionEvery person matters
On the wall of the center, someone painted “WE VALUE PEOPLE!” by hand. The letters are uneven and the paint has run. That is what DADSAC tries to do: give every young person in Dandora a reason to come back the next day.
Join the DADSAC Community
Membership is free and involves no financial commitment. The form has two fields: a name and an email address. It is a way of saying that what happens in Dandora concerns you.
Become a MemberTestimonials
“My name is Emy, I am 13 years old. At DADSAC, I am a dancer. We do traditional dance and I love it. I would like to showcase my traditional dance talents outside Kenya in the future.”
— Emy, 13
“My name is Felix, I am 12 years old. Coach John talked to me and invited me to join DADSAC. I saw that the organization helped children and parents in our community. Sport gave me the opportunity to be respected and avoid violence as a child in Dandora. DADSAC helped me with food, mentoring, leadership in the small library, and drawing.”
— Felix, 12
“My name is Toréez, I am 14 years old. I was a street kid and one day I met Coach John who asked if I was interested in joining DADSAC and doing boxing. The next morning, I joined DADSAC. Boxing taught me discipline, self-defense, and responsibility.”
— Toréez, 14