In the Sinoni neighbourhood of Arusha, Tanzania, 121 young people aged 5 to 18 show up every week to train, compete, and grow — completely free of charge. No registration fees. No kit costs. No transport fees. Nothing.

Satino Football Academy is the only completely free football academy in Arusha. Founded in April 2023, it has already produced a player selected to the Tanzanian National Youth Camp, a player selected to the Young Boys Academy, and a girls' team — the Satino Queens — bringing competitive football to young women in a neighbourhood where it has long been absent.

Why It Matters

Football in Tanzania is not free. Most academies charge registration fees, kit fees, and tournament costs that put them completely out of reach for families in Sinoni. The result is that talented, committed young people simply don't get to play.

At SFA, we cover everything — boots, balls, kit, transport to tournaments, and meals on match days. For many of our players, the academy is also the most structured and positive environment in their week. Parents across Sinoni consistently report improvements in their children's school attendance, academic performance, and behaviour after joining.

Our Teams

SFA currently runs seven teams — U9, U11, U13, U15, U17, U23, and the Satino Queens girls team — all registered with the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF). Recent highlights include:

🏆 U13 — 2025 Arusha District Champions (ADFA)
🏆 U17 — 2025 Baptist Cup Champions
🌍 U13 & U15 — Chipkizi Cup competitors (largest international youth tournament in Southeast Africa)
🇹🇿 National player — one SFA player selected to the Tanzanian National Youth Camp in Tanga
🇩🇰 Young Boys Academy — one player selected by the Danish-founded academy in Arusha

What Your Donation Covers

It costs approximately $500 per child per year to run a stable, competitive academy — covering coaching, equipment, tournament registration, transport, and match day meals. Here's what specific amounts make possible:

$10 — one month of training for one player
$29 — a full kit for one player
$50 — tournament registration fees for one team
$100 — match day transport and meals for a full squad
$500 — one child's full year at the academy

Part of Something Bigger

Satino Football Academy is part of SATINO — Save and Teach the Innocent — a registered US non-profit (SATINO USA Inc) operating a daycare, preschool, and football academy in Arusha since 2019. All funds are processed securely through a US bank account with international board oversight.

The academy also has a dedicated European partner — the Focus Foundation, a registered Dutch NGO — and has received support from Ajax Amsterdam, VodafoneZiggo, Park Cities YMCA (Dallas), and multiple European organisations.

Your donation goes directly to the children of Sinoni. Thank you.

— Augustino (Weza) & Michael Collins, Board Members, SATINO USA Inc

SATINO Football Academy — Keep Kids on the Pitch

Every dollar keeps a child training, competing, and off the streets — the only free football academy in Arusha.

Team Members