A Raila Talanta Search team together before a match

About RTS

More than football. A movement for Kenyan youth.

Raila Talanta Search exists to give every Kenyan child with football in their feet a real, dignified pathway — supported by coaching, mentorship, education and community.

Our Story

From a national conversation to a national program.

Raila Talanta Search was born from a simple truth known to every Kenyan: our talent is limitless, but our pipelines are not. Across every county there are young footballers with the ability, discipline and hunger to compete anywhere in the world — but only a handful ever get seen.

RTS is our answer. We are a youth football talent identification and development organization dedicated to changing that equation — going into communities, running structured scouting camps, coaching with quality and consistency, and staying involved long after the whistle.

We build pathways that don’t just find footballers. They find leaders, students, and role models — young people who go on to represent their families, counties and country with pride.

Our Mission

To discover, nurture and empower Kenyan youth through football — providing world-class coaching, mentorship, education and opportunities that transform lives and communities.

Our Vision

A Kenya where every talented young footballer — girl or boy, urban or rural — has a clear, supported path from grassroots to greatness, on and off the pitch.

Core Values

What we protect on and off the pitch.

Passion

For the game, and for every child who sees themselves in it.

Integrity

Fair scouting, safe spaces and honest relationships with families.

Belonging

Every county, every gender, every ability — welcomed on our fields.

Discipline

The habits of world-class athletes taught early and lived daily.

Our Approach

How we work in the counties.

01
Identify
Scouting camps and open trials across our ten focus counties.
02
Develop
Age-appropriate training, physical prep and match exposure.
03
Support
Mentors, education support, kits, transport and safeguarding.
04
Connect
Placements with clubs, academies and national programs.

The Team Sheet

Legends, builders & founders.

Kenyan football legends and operators behind the search.

Chairman

Sammy Owino Kempes

Former Gor Mahia midfielder turned US Soccer Level A coach. Built Ayses Academy in Texas — 700+ athletes across 7 pitches on a 32-acre campus — and returned to Kenya in 2024 to develop home-grown talent. Believes clean governance, world-class academies and higher coaching standards are how Kenyan football rises.