“Change our way of life”: Junior Starlets vice-captain asks Ruto for housing and medical assist

Junior
Starlets assistant captain Beverlyne Owuor has appealed to President William
Ruto to enhance the welfare of Kenyan footballers by offering medical
insurance coverage and inexpensive housing.

Owuor mentioned many gamers come from deprived
backgrounds and battle to entry healthcare and respectable dwelling circumstances.

The Junior Starlets not too long ago secured their place on the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco after defeating South Africa 5-1 on combination, changing into the primary Kenyan staff to qualify for the event.

Owuor mentioned accidents can develop into a
main monetary burden as a result of many gamers’ households can not afford medical
remedy.

She was talking at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, throughout a reception to have a good time the staff’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

“Tunaomba
kama unaweza ku-provide medical cowl to all gamers, the technical bench.
Unaweza pata mchezaji ameumia, we’re coming from a poor background, mzazi
hawezi afford kulipa treatment,” she said.

This is loosely translated to mean: “We are requesting that every one gamers and the technical bench be supplied with medical cowl. Sometimes gamers get accidents, however since they arrive from a poor background, their dad and mom cannot afford to cater for his or her remedy.”

The
assistant captain additionally urged the President to assist footballers by means of the
Affordable Housing Programme, noting that many gamers dwell in casual
settlements the place crime is frequent.

“Tunaomba
inexpensive homes, Mr President, juu most of us tunatoka kwa ghetto kama
Mathare, Kibra na Kawangware. Huko ni locations zingine crime scene inapatikana.
Sisi wachezaji tunaishi huku tunaweza patikana kwa hizo scenes. It has not been
straightforward with us, so tunaomba kama unaweza kututoa kwa ghetto utuchange
way of life,” Owuor added.

This is translated to mean: “We are requesting to be allotted inexpensive homes. Most of us keep within the casual settlements the place crime charges are excessive. It has not been straightforward for us, so we’re interesting to you (Ruto) to take us out of there and alter our way of life.”

Responding
to her attraction, President Ruto mentioned her remarks highlighted the troublesome dwelling
circumstances confronted by many younger Kenyans and reaffirmed his dedication to
enhancing housing throughout the nation.

“This
morning you’ve gotten spoken to me past your circumstances. You are simply reminding
the nation that there are individuals who dwell in dehumanising circumstances and we
should do every part in our energy,” Ruto mentioned.

The
President pledged to proceed increasing inexpensive housing, expressing hope
that casual settlements would ultimately develop into a factor of the previous.

“I would like
to vow you, Beverly, as I promise each different Kenyan, that I’ll do my
highest to be sure that we construct as many homes as doable. God keen,
within the very close to future, between 15 and 20 years, there might be no one dwelling
in a slum,” he mentioned.

Ruto additionally
assured the gamers that the federal government would prolong to the Junior Starlets the
identical assist package deal provided to the Harambee Stars through the CHAN event.

“The method we did for Harambee Stars, we’ll do the identical. I would like the Ministry
of Sports and your staff to calibrate. We have to make a cope with these Harambee Starlets women,” the President mentioned.