By Anderson Ojwang
In the sprawling slums of Kisumu’s Obunga, from a humble family background, a son of a fish monger, Fidel Odhiambo, is rising to rewrite his story.
Fidel is the talk of the town, not only of his Kakamega Boys High School but also in Obunga slums, where his rising star is giving hope to several children.
For Fidel, it is the manifestation of God’s favour, and in him the story of several aspiring young and talented children is inscribed.
Fidel, a talented footballer and the immediate former Vice Captain of the Green Commandos, was identified by the scouts and recruited in August 2025 to join the Academy, Green Commandos, and Kakamega Boys High School on a full scholarship.
Chairman of the Green Commandos Academy, Mr Isaac Kwoba, said the family background, talent, and the boy’s humility were the driving force in his breakthrough.
“Despite his physical physique, he is a very humble and bright boy. That is one of the reasons why he was made the School’s Vice Captain and was able to integrate so fast,” he said.
Scholarship
Kwoba said the academy gives full scholarships to the selected players to study and also develop and nurture their talents in various sporting disciplines.
“At the academy, we have trainers and instructors, coaches, with some former Kenya international players, and have undergone training and undertaken various courses,” he said.
He said at the Academy, the players are subjected to continuous training and play in the Division Two league to harden and expose them.
“We intentionally make them play in the Division 2 league for exposure and to harness the talent and growth,” he said.
The Journey to the States
While several students applied for the scholarship, Fidel dilly-dallied until it took the intervention of the Chairman for the process to begin.
The delay was occasioned by some quarters who had promised Fidel a path to club football in Belgium.
“When I learnt of the situation, I contacted the mother, we consulted. I explained to the family what the scholarship entailed and we came to an agreement that the USA was the best destination for the lad,” he said.
Partners
In February this year, the Green Commandos’ partners from the USA, Mount Verder Academy in Florida, which has a set-up like Kakamega School, and Lipscomb University in Tennessee, were in the country for scouting.
The scouts identified four, and Fidel was among the lucky ones.
Kwoba says he fast-tracked the applications and visa interview to ensure Fidel was in the USA before the start of the new academic year in August.
Coincidence
Fidel was invited for the visa interview on the day Kakamega were to play quarter-finals in the regional secondary schools ball games.
“The mother, who had never been to Bungoma, let alone Nairobi, went and picked the boy. They travelled overnight and on arrival, we moved direct to the Embassy for the interview,” he said.
Kwoba said after the interview, the next day in the morning, they flew Fidel to Kisumu, where the school team picked him.
“At 4.00 pm, Fidel was playing for Green Commandos in the semis and finals. They won and proceeded to the nationals,” he said.
National finals
Similarly, the national football finals coincided with the date of his departure for the USA.
On 7th August, Fidel was a lad in two worlds: fighting for the crown and facing the reality of a long trip to the new land, the USA. A delicate balancing act.
Fidel led his team to victory, but as the time to depart for the airport came, his bag was still at Mangu High School, where the school was accommodated.
“I had no choice but to leave the bags behind. Time was running out and we had to look for the basics to ensure he was not late for the airport. We were able to be at the airport by 10.00 pm, and the departure time was at 11.30 pm,” he said.
Received
Fidel finally landed in the USA and was welcomed by his teammate Wayne Wamanya, as he is fast settling well. Already, the coaches are happy with his talents on the field and his positive attitude.
God’s grace
Fidel’s journey can be summed up as God’s favour. The manner in which the process unfolded was a mystery.
