The Otto Benecker Foundation was founded in 1996 by young people led by Coach Bonface Viyuka and Mr. John Muganda Chavasu, a development sociologist in Mathare, Nairobi's second-largest informal settlement. It began as a girls' football team, strongly supported by Father Otto Benecker of St. Benedict Parish, Mathare, and was later named in his honor.

The team initially comprised girls aged 10 to 18 and later included young women over 18. The foundation's focus on girls was driven by the lack of safe, structured spaces for young girls to engage socially, access training, mentorship, coaching, and essential socio-economic services.

Football served as a powerful platform to address challenges faced by adolescent girls and became a catalyst for change. Over time, the organization expanded to include adolescent boys and girls across various age groups.