By Tony Wafula
In a determined effort to nurture and promote sporting and creative talents in the Western region, SportPesa has extended its Tujiamini initiative to Bungoma County. Through its signature Cheza Dimba grassroots sports programme, the initiative is providing a much-needed platform for young and upcoming talent to shine.
Tujiamini, meaning “Believe in Ourselves”, is an inclusive talent development campaign championed by SportPesa. The initiative supports both male and female participants across various disciplines, placing special focus on often-overlooked grassroots and regional teams. It seeks to empower Kenyan youth by enhancing opportunities in both sports and the creative economy.
Speaking during the launch of the Cheza Dimba tournament at Bungoma High School over the weekend, SportPesa Public Relations Officer Deborah Maina highlighted the initiative’s overarching vision.
“The Tujiamini initiative was launched by SportPesa to support sports development across Kenya. Just last month, we were in the Central region. Now we are in Western, with the same goal, to empower young sportsmen and women and give regional teams a shot at success,” she said.
In Bungoma, eight teams, six male and two female, are participating in the Cheza Dimba tournament. According to Maina, SportPesa has designed an attractive package of rewards to incentivise participation and performance.
“The winning female team will walk away with Sh50,000, while the top male teams stand to win Sh250,000 annually for the next three years. In addition, they will receive a full set of sports kits, which will be renewed every year,” she explained.
Maina emphasised that the initiative is not just about financial support, but also about sustained mentorship and exposure for emerging teams.
“Last year, three grassroots teams that took part in this initiative progressed well. That’s exactly what we want to see, regional talent being recognised, nurtured, and elevated to national platforms,” she added.
She noted that the long-term vision of Tujiamini includes a national tournament that will bring together all regional winners at the end of the year.
According to Maina, the benefits of the initiative are already evident. “We have seen women’s teams from Bungoma that began with Cheza Dimba now competing in Division Two. That’s a huge step forward. Sports are a legitimate career path, and we want these young people to believe in the value of their talent,” she affirmed.
