In February 2023, our Chelezo High School security officer and former soccer coach, Juma, transferred from Chelezo High School in Wote, to take over the Security position at Mawewa Primary School in Mathare. On his arrival, Coach Juma contacted several of his former soccer players to touch base with as many as he could. For more than a week, there was a steady stream of alumni, both boys and girls, visiting Mawewa Primary coming to say hello to their former coach. Coach Juma was clearly a favorite among the alumni. As he engaged with his former players, Coach Juma decided that he would bring the boys together for a soccer match with a local team in Mathare. This match took place during the fourth weekend of March 2023 at a local school’s soccer pitch. When nineteen of our alumni showed up for the match, Coach Juma asked them if he could arrange another match with the current students of Chelezo High School, so they could take the opportunity through a fun event to speak into the lives of the boys and girls enrolled there, inspiring them to succeed both at school and in the community.
After a few consultations with Mr. Maingi, edukenya’s Head of Education and Deputy Director, a match was scheduled for April 2, 2023 at our Chelezo High School. Mr. Maingi, a soccer enthusiast himself, also got involved in the preparations for the match, helping coach our current Chelezo soccer players, stepping in for Coach Hari, who was unable to coach due to his main responsibility as Head Cook of Chelezo High School.
After traveling from Nairobi, the alumni team, dubbed ‘The LEGENDS,’ arrived at the school and were welcomed with a cup of tea by the Chelezo catering staff. The match began shortly after lunch, and for the next two hours, the spectators, including all the Chelezo student body, were treated to an exciting match between the ‘old boys’ and the school's slightly more youthful players of Chelezo. After a nervous start, the Chelezo team settled in to score the first goal of the match. By the second half, the Chelezo players were even more relaxed and had confidence playing at home against their ‘big brothers.’ Chelezo went on to beat ‘The LEGENDS’ with a 4-2 victory.
After the match ‘The LEGENDS’ had some time to interact with the students of Chelezo and share their life experiences with them. The students were excited to meet the former students, most of whom they had only heard stories about. ‘The LEGENDS’ were great role models for our students and carried themselves with grace and discipline.
Our alumni are a testament to years of hard work, prayer, and support culminating in a group of young men and women who love God and seek to serve Him with their time and abilities. We are seeing the fruits of our labor, through healthier members of our community, through the consistent provision of basic nutrition, through academic advancement culminating in university, college, and technical education, and through hard students with strong work ethics joining the job market providing for their families. Lastly, we see the fruit through the simple act of a few soccer players willing to mentor the next generation after a friendly soccer match.