By Felix Njenga
Worth Noting:
- He said that apart from the intricacies of golf under the MKGF he has started an initiative to provide books and other school essentials like pens, pencils, mathematical sets, among other things to the children so as to encourage them to embrace education too.
- “I always say that golf and education go hand in hand and I have started to give school essentials to the young golfers as I realized some come from underprivileged backgrounds and it has helped a lot improve the children’s studies,” he said.
- He said that he is also encouraging parents with children with disabilities to enroll into the program as golf is also played by the disabled persons.
Kiambu Golf Club Micheal Karanga top country amateur golf has found his niche in producing future golf stars by embarking on imparting his skills to school children.
The Michael Karanga Golf Foundation (MKGF) founded early 2022 through the Golf Mashinani initiative saw 200 children aged from 5-22 years enrol and seeked to give equal opportunities to aspiring golfers devoid of the social class.
Today over 400 young golfers drawn from public primary schools within kiambu subcounty and high schools have enrolled in the initiative where they get training on Wednesday’s and Thursdays free of charge during their school holidays.
“I am happy that the initiative I started has been embraced by both parents and their children. Parents have agreed to trust me with their children and release them to train golf and the number is growing where I know we will produce the best golfers here since they have started at an early stage and they have improved since they have come to love the sport,” Karanga said.
He said that the young golfers train at the St. Andrews Ndumberi golf course where he started his golfing career and he envisions to help someone else become a success and also inspire more children to learn golf.
He said that apart from the intricacies of golf under the MKGF he has started an initiative to provide books and other school essentials like pens, pencils, mathematical sets, among other things to the children so as to encourage them to embrace education too.
“I always say that golf and education go hand in hand and I have started to give school essentials to the young golfers as I realized some come from underprivileged backgrounds and it has helped a lot improve the children’s studies,” he said.
He said that he is also encouraging parents with children with disabilities to enroll into the program as golf is also played by the disabled persons.
He said that he has gone round the public schools to encourage them to embrace the golf sport where they will be going round the schools to train children who are interested.
“We want school children to know about golf and we will be going round schools to encourage the schools to allow golf sport into their extra-curricular studies,” he said.
He said that the children are trained by certified trainers and called upon well-wishers to support the foundation by donating more golf clubs and golf balls so that children do not have to share.
Peter Njinu the children’s coach said that he is amazed by the dedication of the children to want to play golf and would want the sport taken to schools since the children only train whenever they close school.
“We want the sport to be taken to schools since we only train the children when they close school and some forget the skills,” he said.
George Maara, a sponsor of the children said that the children’s golf initiative has gone a long way to motivating them and also giving them a sense of belonging which should be encouraged by leaders.
Maara called on the county government department of sports to embrace such initiatives so that the county can develop sports activities.
“Kiambu county we have talents, we have resources and especially fields, other counties like Uasin Ngishu has developed athletics in Kiambu we have many talents which should be developed by the county government sports department,’ he said
Lawrence Ndungu Kiambu golf club manager said that the club has opened its doors for school children and public to be playing golf for free as a way of giving back to the society and also encouraging people to embrace the sport.
“We are happy to host the school going children under the Michael Karanga foundation. This is a noble thing of embracing children who are enthusiastic to learn how to play golf and we can say there is a future for golf sport,’ Ndungu said.
David Ndirangu a Kiambu golf club life member said that leaders should take care of the golf courses in the country which are under attack from being repossessed by county governments as their leases have expired so as to have continuity for the future of the golf sport.
“We want our children to start playing golf and there is a need for the courses to be protected by our leaders. The golf sports will give our children discipline and no child should be charged to play,’ Ndirangu said.
Eddy Mararo, a grade 7 pupil at Riabai primary school said that they are excited to be given an opportunity to play Golf inside Kiambu golf club.
‘It is a great feeling to play golf inside Kiambu golf club since it is where professional golf is played. Since I enrolled in the Michael Karanga foundation I have learnt a lot in golf and now I have improved and am ready to participate in competitions,’ he said.
Alicia Wanjiku studying in high school said that apart from being given a chance to play golf by the foundation it has gone further to sponsor needy students in paying for their school fees.
Wanjiku encouraged other students to join in the foundation and be positively engaged during their school holidays rather than stay at home.
“Karanga has embraced us and we always look forward to playing golf once we close school since it is a very exciting sport. We are also mentored by various experts regarding school work, we even learn life skills and it is a worthwhile experience,’ she said.
