On June 1 2018, one of Kenya’s longest serving members in the National Rugby Sevens team Humphrey Kayange called it a day in the sport.
With a career spanning over 16 years, the tall and lanky Kayange decided it was time to try out new things in the society.
Normally, many athletes fear this phase of life in their careers for they don’t know what to do or what to anticipate in the future.
Kenya Sevens veteran Humphrey Kayange announced his retirement from international rugby through a long Instagram post, Kayange said: “It has been about 2 years now that I have been trying to get back to the field for Kenya and run out with the brothers one last time. Guess it wasn’t to be. It is time to say goodbye to my international career in both 7s and 15s.”
Four years after that special and emotional announcement, Kayange commonly known as ‘Tall’ has revealed what he has been doing behind the scenes. Just like his South African counterpart Tendai "The Beast" Mtawarira who is assisting young people in sports and education, Kayange has rolled out plans that will help youth and upcoming rugby players achieve what they want to in life.
Speaking to African Voices on CNN, Kayange who is a graduate of Science Biochemistry from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Technology(JKUAT) reveals how he found passion in helping needy children achieve their dreams through rugby, mentorship and education.
“I have a youth mentorship organization called Good Kenyan Foundation. It was started in 2017. We help the children achieve their goals through four pillars, entrepreneurship, mentorship, ICT and life skills,” he says.
“It is important to have this space and we deal with these kids from needy backgrounds.”
He has also revealed that together with partners from the Atlas Foundation, they have set up the Kings Rugby Foundation in Kibra, Nairobi. The foundation has secured a bus for the needy children read on the go.
“We secured a bus for them that acts as a mobile classroom, basically we wanted to reach out to these kids in Kibera and other locations but then Corona happened,” He says.
He remembers the highs and lows of his sterling career and insists he has been proud of his achievements.
“It is an unbelievable experience to go out there and represent your country. I have been brought up in a very humble environment meaning that all the opportunities you get in life, you should appreciate and be the best you can be,” he quips.
He is currently the athletes representative at the National Olympic Committee (NOCK) and was in the frontline in ensuring that Rugby was included in the IOC calendar.