UK Students Thrive with DBA Africa in Kenya

UK university students Lily and Thea chose to spend their summer break on an outreach trip with DBA Africa in Kenya, looking for something different. They didn’t expect just how much sport, community, and new friendships would change the way they see the world.

Inspired by talks in England, by Storm Trentham, who spoke at the England Nationals Academy and the Nottingham Sports Conference, both students arrived excited and a bit nervous. Thea, who had never left Europe before, found the new environment intimidating at first. But as soon as they arrived in Kenya, all their worries disappeared. They were greeted with warmth, hospitality, and a lively local culture.

Lily and Thea worked closely with the DBA Africa team and saw firsthand how sustainable sports programs are built. They helped with office planning and organised coaching clinics, quickly becoming part of the group. Most importantly, they saw how local athletes face daily challenges with determination and passion, challenges that are uncommon in UK university sports.

Some of the best moments of their trip came from both playing sports and helping in the community. At the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy, they played on fields marked with chalk, but the energy and sportsmanship during football, rugby, and netball were incredible. On the lacrosse field, crossbar challenges and shared drills helped everyone connect. Whether they were sharing university-level tactics or playing rugby with local athletes, coaching was a two-way exchange in which everyone learned from one another.

More than just coaching and helping with operations, it was the real friendships, quiet talks, and shared laughs that meant the most. Meeting athletes like Freddie, from their Nairobi academy on a sports scholarship, whose passion and skill are on a par with those of university players in the UK, showed how important DBA Africa’s work is in providing new opportunities to talented people.

Lily and Thea came back to the UK with more than just memories. They gained a new understanding of how sports can break down barriers, change lives, and bring people together from around the world. This is the youth development DBA Africa stands for.

If you’re a UK university student thinking about an outreach trip, Lily and Thea have one piece of advice: ‘Go for it. Keep an open mind, take every chance you get, and be ready to learn as much as you teach. You’ll come back with great stories, a new outlook, and the feeling that you made a real difference.’