Basketball Talent;Feeds, Clothes and Educates me

Felix Kinyua “However in the year 2000 a young man from America exploring the streets of Meru came across me, a young talented ...

Felix Kinyua

“However in the year 2000 a young man from America exploring the streets of Meru came across me, a young talented boy in action and saw a rotting talent. It was an encounter that I will forever remember since it was my turning point,”  Felix Kinyua

You must have heard the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover” but there is no better way to explain this than through a special scenario. Many people know him as party animal while others will say he is a bad boy who doesn’t give a shit about life. His class mates will talk of a silent character, a guy who begrudges no one and has sat at the back of the class since first year. What very few people know is that he is a basket ball player who pockets 125,000 per semester for his talent.

Felix Kelvin Kinyua is a third year student taking communication and media at Chuka University many knows him as Felloh while his pack the ‘Wagenge’ will call him master. Uncovering his social mask reveals a self developed star an inspirational story of ‘from rags to riches’ and a talent that many might have underestimated.

While many might have interacted regularly with Felix in the social places or seen a guy who to many would be said is an introvert. Our crew spoke to a jovial, soft spoken Felix, a guy who speaks his mind freely and crazy about mansions. Breaking the ice we sought to know his fantasy mansion or what you’d say dream house. Full of enthusiasm he explains “well it’s crazy but since my childhood I have always fantasized living in five faced story mansion. With white as the only dominant color I mean everything white including the furniture. Talk of a true Whitehouse of course a swimming pool will be a basic need.” Talking of childhood we dug out some more…

Felix grew up in Meru but unlike many children he remembers a disadvantaged hustler childhood in the Meru streets as a street boy. “It’s in this streets that I fell in love with the dribbling ball slowly growing my talent more as a way of passing time than a venture I thought would open doors later in life.” he says “However in the year 2000 a young man from America exploring the streets of Meru came across me, a young talented boy in action and saw a rotting talent. It was an encounter that I will forever remember since it was my turning point,” He adds.  The young American through the LOVE INC. FOUNDATION became the sponsors of the young shy boy. He was placed under the care of Meru children’s home a place he so passionately calls ‘my family’.

It’s in this orphanage center that he was taken to a rehabilitation center an endeavor he says helped him shun the street mentality and comfortably engage with other kids in the newly found home. He started attending plainsville Academy where he developed his basket ball and ‘acting’ talents, ventures that saw him travel to England in 2005 through his sponsor. He was actually among the few top national level drama performers who got to perform to the then president Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi. Although his scholarship was engraved in co curricular activities he was an outstanding academic performer and scored 401 marks in his K.C.P.E which earned him a place in Nkubu boys’ high school.

The LOVE INC. FOUNDATION extended the sponsorship to high school and Felix continued manifesting exceptional talent in basket ball and theater. He was able to earn national levels certificates in drama and music since form one. He was in the basketball school team since form one playing position three (shooting forward) and rose to be the captain in form three and four. During his tenure as the basketball captain his team scooped the Meru Opens basket ball trophy.

Food for the hungry: one of the organization that sponsored felix

While at form three Felix had become a star in Meru county or what many high schoolers would call a celeb, this brought him in the lime light and under the sponsorship of FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY INTERNATIONAL he underwent a peer counseling training and attained worldwide recognized certificate in the same. His peek had yet to be attained since he later signed a contract with a nongovernmental organization The MIRIAM KANANA FOUNDATION as their Mt Kenya ambassador and the organizations youth image brand. Though in all this activities his focus in education had not been burred since he remained among the best student in English and geography all along and later attained a B in the KCSE.
He then joined Chuka university, questioned why he per sued communication and media Felix says
“it’s not accidental neither a second choice, since primary school media was my dream, I was into arts and I saw nothing more connected to arts than media, then I so much excelled in languages specifically English and since I have always wanted to impact the society at large positively I joined the bandwagons”
After joining Chuka University Felix was so optimistic about his future, his sponsors extended his sponsorship to the highest level he could attain; in his words “I was so excited and I knew it was my time to conquer I was going for nothing less but the PhD.” He was not ready to let go his talents now that his worth had hit 1,454$ equivalent to Ksh125,000 every three months with an addition during the long vacation since he works with STARMAN MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
With cash in the new environment he wasn’t letting his new found freedom and peak pass without a mark. Felix and his group the ‘wagenge’ a group he explains as comprising true hustlers, guys who venture into businesses and are not afraid to explore had a bond. In them Felix says he found true brothers people he could trust and guys who never cared to change ones personality. They let you be and respect what you uphold.
The team has earned lots of popularity around campus and especially in the social places and of course like they say the more eyes you have on you the more enemies are eyeing.  Questioned about this Felix says “I call that the power of negative energy upon you. It has taught me to care less what people think of me. Since when young I have seen people direct the negative energy to me but have always transformed it to my best. Think about it this way most people will hate you because of your style but will always check to see what you up to it means you have an impact on them something they care much to ignore. Most people die struggling to fight the negative energy but I embrace it and transform it to my advantage. Personally I have never tried to be perfect neither do I fight to impress one thing however, I give my best and sure it has always paid.”

He was placed under the care of Meru children’s home a place he so passionately calls ‘my family’.

Getting to the second year however Felix admits he slipped and at one time lost focus. Asked about it he reluctantly explains, “ it was women, girls if you like. They slowly encompassed my life to a point where I forsook basket ball. For two semesters I was never seen around a pitch,” this was to his disadvantage, he deteriorated physically since he no longer exercised and had drained most of his energy in social places area he frequented on daily basis. His pack tried to talk him about it but he gave it a deaf ear. It was not until his financial manager threw his concern that Felix dribbled back to himself.
He is now backing to exercise and says one learns from his mistake and is not letting it slip him again. He says he will be back to the pitch next week. “I miss it so much can’t wait to give that throw” he says. Questioned about his academic life in campus Felix admits it’s not easy. He says he is expected to attain nothing less than a B if his scholarship is to remain intact. This has seen him give his best and he jovially says though he was afraid about the second year performance he was happy when the transcripts were issued and he was way up above his cut point. Out of curiosity we questioned how he was able to attain a B while still in all thrill and he says. “I am not dumb I know what failing would do to me. For that I am always up by 5:00 am and ensure to utilize the information in Google of course I don’t cram.”
About his future Felix says he wants to be a CEO in a company and is set to start his own company ‘FELLOH MASTER ENTERTAINMENT’. One thing he doesn’t live out however is “I won’t forget the unfortunate I know what it means to have a helping hand and whenever I have that chance I extend generously”
And then we sought his advice to fellow comrades and this is what he had to say “live your life and be happy to achieve your own goals let no one dictate what success is, you will burn out trying to impress”
Like our facebook page chuka uni comrades corner to stay updated