Christine Ondiso, Captain under 13 girls at Tatu Primary School, receives a trophy from Patience Ngumba, Tatu City CSR Officer

More than 600 children and teenagers filled the rugby fields at Tatu Primary School for the annual Stuart Dowsett Memorial Rugby Tournament.

The tournament honoured the memory of Stuart Dowsett, who served as president of Brussels Barbarians Rugby Football Club Celtic from 2006 to 2010. Players aged 9 to 18 competed in age group categories from under 11 through under 18, with both boys and girls divisions.

Tatu Primary School dominated the competition, winning six of the eight championship titles. The home team’s biggest victories came in the under 11 and under 13 girls categories, where they defeated opponents 21-7. Ngewe Primary provided the tournament’s biggest upset, beating Tatu Primary 14-7 in the under 15 boys final.

The event brought together children from rugby centers in some of Nairobi’s most challenging neighbourhoods, including Mathare, Kangemi, Korogocho and Kayole. Many of these young athletes participate in programs run by Shamas Rugby Foundation, which uses the sport to teach life skills and leadership.

“Rugby is not just a sport, it’s a lifeline and a leadership training ground for hundreds of youth across Kenya,” said Solomon Mahinda, Executive Vice President of Tatu City, which served as the tournament’s largest financial supporter.

The foundation currently works with over 3,000 students from public schools and informal settlements, using rugby to promote education, discipline and employability skills. Joseph Otieno Api, who heads the foundation’s programs, says the sport teaches respect, resilience and teamwork.

“This tournament is a celebration of growth, on and off the pitch,” Api said. “Watching our players take ownership of their game and support one another is a living tribute to Stuart Dowsett’s vision for youth development through sport.”

The Brussels based rugby club has supported Shamas Rugby Foundation for more than a decade, contributing over 28,000 euros to rugby and life skills projects in Kenya. The club also maintains a partnership with Orbit Children’s Home in Kayole.

Tatu City supports the foundation through its corporate social responsibility program, Tatu Reach, which has benefited over 15,000 people through education, healthcare, environmental and youth development initiatives.

The tournament reflects a growing movement in Kenya to use sports as a tool for social development, particularly in communities where young people face significant economic and social challenges.