In a bid to lighten up his academic future and increase his efficiency in sports, Samuel Ndombi is investing his time in tremendous physical and mental growth by confidently going for what he wants in life, sports.
Samuel started playing soccer four years back as a striker and the talent has taken him to places he never imagined. At his primary school, Navakholo Primary, he was no stranger to sports victory and he was more than once crowned the best soccer player.
Being one of the keynote players out of more than twenty, Samuel has achieved quite a bit of a milestone, being given a crucial ticket to represent the western Kenya region at the country’s national level after winning an accolade at the regional levels.
“My dream has always been to represent my country in international soccer competitions, being chosen to play in the country’s national levels shows that I am closer to the international bar,” he narrates with a smile.
Samuel shows great potential in sports that can give him a luminous future. Soccer as a sport has enriched and broadened his scope and helped to define his place and role at his previous primary school and current high school Nambacha Secondary school, boosting his confidence and making him more popular amongst his peers and also with the elders.
Samuel has also led a host of eminent players at his school during inter-school competitions which have enabled him to acquire more skills and share what he has perfected in the field.
Sixteen years old Samuel is the eldest of his two siblings. Growing up, life for Samuel and his family has been a rough tussle. Him together with his younger sister were raised by their late grandmother Emily who was also raising their seven other cousins.
Having been taken care of by his late grandmother for some time in his life and being raised with a single parent has made him mentally stronger, making him to never want to disappoint them.
He sincerely wants to secure a brighter future that would see his pillar of strength, the mother, live comfortably.
“My mother is my motivator. She trusts in me and urges me to try all the routes to my vision while grandma was a social and spiritual counselor. Her spirit will forever reside in me.”
Samuel together with his family is receiving all the needed support for their lives and that of his academics and talent from UKR which makes them live comfortably.
The challenges he faces in football are common to most Kenyan players. Sports gear and equipment are very expensive. He, therefore, challenges the Kenyan government to increase investment in sporting facilities and open free access to those wishing to expound their talents.
Through the support Samuel is receiving from UKR, he is confident that he is in the right trajectory as a talented student towards achieving tremendous growth. With his future ambition being to work in the Kenyan ministry of sports, and play soccer professionally, Samuel is confident that he will once sit at the country’s decision-making table and help grow talents in less privileged regions.
Samuel is striving to balance education and co-curriculum and hopes that sports will take him far. He is hence hopeful that the knowledge he has acquired over the years of rigorous training will be internalized in him and enable him to go a great mile and achieve his sports aspirations, not only nationally but also globally.
