KLABU

Words by Karen Edwards. Photography by Coco Olakunle and Jean Marie Manirakiza.

Netherlands citizen, Jan van Hövell, was just 18 when he first set foot in a refugee camp in Ghana. Assisting an United Nations humanitarian effort, Van Hövell found that survival and basic needs were the focus of every camp – yet there was little opportunity for sports, fitness and social connection. Returning to his home in the Netherlands, Van Hövell couldn’t help thinking about this inequality.  After working as a corporate lawyer for five years, he gave up his job and returned to the African continent – this time to Kenya – to seek solutions to the lack of sports opportunities. Here, he met Sadumba, Jean Marie and Paul, Isaac and many others from the Kalobeyei Refugee Community, and the story of KLABU (which means ‘club’ in Swahili) began.

Jan van Hövell: Sport has always held great meaning for me. It makes me feel better, healthier – and it brings people together over a common love for a game. Being able to play with other people, experiencing the joy and spirit that comes from sport is amazing. Whether you come from the Netherlands, South Sudan or anywhere else around the world – when you’re playing with other people, you connect and enjoy each other’s company.

JvH: There are over 120 million people who are forcibly displaced around the world. 'In 2017, I proposed a structural solution for the lack of sports opportunities in refugee camps to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). I had the chance to act on those ideas with the community living at the Kalobeyei Refugee Camp in northwest Kenya, where over 70,000 refugees of 10 different nationalities are rebuilding their lives.

JvH: The biggest problem was a lack of equipment and clothing. There are non-profit organizations that focus on arranging training sessions for refugees. But the lack of shoes, balls and kit means very few people could take part. On arrival in Kalobeyei, I met Sadumba and other young community members, who helped me understand the barriers to bringing sport into the camps. And then we set to work, in collaboration with the community, to bring sports to Kalobeyei.

JvH: In 2018, KLABU built the first sports library in Kalobeyei. It allows people to borrow sports gear and equipment, and they must return it after use. The local team – including Sadumba, Nyagoa, Paul and Jean Marie – ensure everything is returned and kept in good condition. It was a huge success, and when the team sent me a photograph to show people lining up to borrow equipment, I was overjoyed.

Paul: ‘Klabu’ means ‘club’ in Swahili. With the help of KLABU, Kalobeyei offers soccer, badminton, table tennis, chess, cards, yoga. Children as young as 10 come along to the sessions – it’s primarily young people who benefit from our offering. There’s also a running club for women, led by Nyagoa, from South Sudan. Around 30 girls and young women join her every week. The most attended sessions are football and volleyball – and our soccer boots are the most borrowed item from the library. 

JvH: In 2019 we built a clubhouse, after the sports library’s success. We added solar power so that people can watch television, access resources on the internet, play games and listen to music. Its popularity developed organically – and now, our clubhouse is a happy place where people can come together, forge friendships and do the small things that make life more enjoyable. 

Sadumba: The clubhouse is open for everyone. We have seven members of staff – four managers, two night security guards and one keeper who cleans the clubhouse and wash the uniforms. We all work hard to help people feel comfortable and safe here. Our sports coaches are volunteer sports consultants from Kalobeyei, who are often retired players with a great knowledge of sports. 

Jean Marie: KLABU brings the Kalobeyei refugee community and local people together. We organize music nights where artists come to the clubhouse to perform. There’s a yoga teacher in the camp who offers courses at the clubhouse. We also hold cultural events, where people can showcase their different identities through the spirit of movement and music. I can share my culture from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

JvH: Now, we have clubhouses in Kenya, Bangladesh, Brazil, Greece and two in the Netherlands. We reach around 35,000 people annually across these six sites. KLABU is almost entirely community-led. The concept is developed by the people living in the camps, listening to what others need and building bridges together.  We offer different sports in each place, depending on what is most popular in that region and every clubhouse has a different KLABU sports shirt with location and ‘spirit’ written on the crest. We focus on the unbeatable human spirit that is needed in difficult circumstances.

JvH: With help from On, we plan to build three more clubhouses in new locations. The first will be in Mauritania, on the border of Mali – where close to 100,000 people are currently living. Partnering with On’s Right To Run Campaign also allows us to visit other camps and meet communities.

Paul: Since joining KLABU, I have seen a big change in my interpersonal skills. I can relate better to others and can communicate my experiences better. KLABU has positively impacted my life after leaving Ethiopia. I use the WIFI network for studying for my Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Development. KLABU helps the youth of Kalobeyei to grow their talent.

Sadumba: KLABU has given me a chance to return to a sport that I love – soccer. I have always been a footballer, however when I arrived in Kalobeyei in 2016 with my family – except my dad who was left behind in South Sudan – KLABU wasn’t established and there was no availability of sports. I found life challenging. There were many things still on my mind, such as how we had to flee my country and start life in a new place. I was one of the first people to join the local KLABU team. It gave me the chance to make new friends and unite with young men like me. Now, I coach one of the biggest soccer teams in the region and people know my name, because of KLABU. It makes me so happy.

Through the On Right To Run partnership support, KLABU plans to expand its clubhouses to three new locations across the world. To find out how you can offer support, visit KLABU.