In Memoriam Peter Serry

February 2009

The Prince Claus Fund is deeply saddened by the death of Peter Serry.

We have learnt that the Nakumatt fire tragedy at Kenya’s capital city Nairobi claimed the life of Peter Serry, former Director of 2003 Prince Claus Award Laureate MYSA. Since 1987, MYSA has pioneered many innovations in youth sports, environmental improvement and community development. In 2004 MYSA became Network Partner of the Prince Claus Fund. As Director of MYSA, Peter Serry was the direct contact of the Prince Claus Fund.

Peter Serry has been trained as a Soccer instructor by the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB). In 2005, Peter Serry spent five months in The Netherlands on attachment with Dutch Premier League club NEC-Nijmegen. He was at the forefront of developing young soccer talents in his country and on many occasions travelled to the Netherlands with a score of boys and girls who flourished in the soccer tournaments in which they took part.

We appreciated working with Peter on a daily basis and were fortunate enough to have a glimpse and experience of the role model that he represented to the Mathare people and beyond. Peter Serry will be sourly missed. We know his life will continue to be an example for the people of Mathare, to young kids who have complex lives, to soccer-lovers all over the world and to us. We would like to express our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

Peter Serry

In 2003 MYSA received a Prince Claus Award. HRH Prince Constantijn visited Kenya, here he is standing next to Peter Serry.

On 4 June 2006, Peter Serry, former Director of MYSA and coaching instructor, had been awarded the UEFA-B Diploma at a festive ceremony in Holland attended by former Dutch international player, Ajax U23 Coach and MYSA-friend Aaron Winter and by Zambian National Coach and MYSA-friend Kalusha Bwalya. read more