No Boots, no boundaries: The inspiring rise of Rugby Gem Academy in Likoni

For Gem, rugby is more than a game. It’s a tool, a platform, a calling.

"I’ve seen kids go from hopelessness to purpose just by touching a rugby ball,” he says. “You don’t need to have much. You need to be willing to start with what you have."

And he knows what he’s talking about. When he first introduced rugby to ACK Likoni back in 2013, all he had was a worn-out ball, no cones, no kits, just determination.

For space markers, he bought plastic bowls from a local shop. Refreshments? Super Dip mixed with water. What they lacked in equipment, they made up for in joy, grit, and brotherhood.

Today, Rugby Gem Academy, the project he founded, is a beacon of hope along Kenya’s coastal belt. From Likoni to the broader Mombasa region, Gem is building more than athletes; he’s building futures.

Recently, Rugby Gem donated equipment, rugby balls, kits, and cones to schools and communities that have been nurturing the sport without resources.

“The equipment has fallen into the hands of people who are already in motion,” he says. “It’s safe there. These are people who’ve been doing it without equipment. This will be a booster, an inspiration. One day, a breakaway player will rise from these villages.”

Indeed, from the dusty patches of Likoni, dreams are taking flight. Five of Gem’s players are now in the UK, serving with the British Army.

One more is on the way, and 13 others are in the pipeline. It’s a testament to what consistency, sacrifice, and community support can achieve.

But Gem remains grounded. “People think once you gather 15 players, you’re entitled to boots, kit, transport from the union, no. You must be tested. Sacrifice. Then someone might help. That’s what we did. That’s what we still do, “he voiced.

It’s a philosophy rooted in patience and perseverance. And slowly, it’s paying off.

Though resources are still thin, the Rugby Gem family remains grateful. “We do not have much,” he says, “but chanda chema huvikwa pete, a good hand gets a ring. Effort gets rewarded.”

The list of those walking this journey with Gem is long and impressive. He thanks sponsors and partners who he says, “They believe in our vision. They let us plant rugby seeds in their schools.”

Gem also acknowledges individuals working silently within the Kenya Rugby Union who have stood by them. “We hope to reach more and share whatever little we have.”