Mike Baraza: Former Harambee Stars Striker Returns to School, Says He Wants to Help Society
- Former Harambee Stars forward Mike Baraza Nyongesa is rewriting his story after retiring from football to care for his ailing father
- After weathering life’s toughest storms, he’s now back in school pursuing a course in health service support
- Given that many athletes struggle after retiring, Baraza’s decision to return to school is both a survival strategy and an act of service
For years, Kenyan football fans knew Mike Baraza as the prolific striker who donned the jerseys of Chemelil Sugar, Ulinzi Stars, AFC Leopards, and Western Stima.
Source: UGC
His name was synonymous with goals, speed, and an unwavering passion for the game, a passion he inherited from his father, who was also a footballer.
Why did Mike Baraza stop playing?
The former Harambee Stars player told TUKO.co.ke that his journey on the pitch came to an abrupt halt in 2017 as life off the field was crumbling.
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The player who once brought joy to thousands of fans found himself grappling with challenges far bigger than the next match.
“My father was very sick: he had stage three prostate cancer. At the same time, my marriage was going through a rough patch. Everything was falling apart,” Baraza recalls.
The family struggled to raise funds for chemotherapy, pouring every resource they had into medical care.
Did Mike Baraza's father survive?
With all the goings on around him, Baraza stepped away from football to focus on what mattered most: his father and his family.
Despite their efforts, his father lost the battle with cancer. The heartbreak left a void, but it also reshaped the striker’s life.
“When I stopped playing, I lost my main source of income. Medical bills had drained us, and I had no option but to go back to the village. I turned to farming just to survive,” he says quietly.
For a man whose life revolved around football, farming in the village was a stark contrast. Yet, even in the fields, Baraza could not completely leave the game behind.
Source: Facebook
What course is Mike Baraza taking?
There was an emptiness, a nagging feeling that he needed to reinvent himself, a calling that led Baraza back to school, an unlikely but inspiring choice for a retired footballer.
After an eight-year-long hiatus, he is making a return, not as the star striker chasing goals but as a mentor determined to raise the next generation of talent.
Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (KEFWA) president James Situma told TUKO.co.ke that the former goal poacher is pursuing a Certificate in Health Service Support at the Thika School of Medical & Health Sciences.
As part of giving him a new lease on life after giving all for Kenyan football, KEFWA will pay the college fees.
Why Mike Baraza returned to school
Many athletes struggle once the lights dim and the crowds fade, but Baraza’s decision to return to school is both a survival strategy and an act of service.
In the classroom, he is no longer the star striker, but just another student taking notes, asking questions, and pushing himself to learn.
Yet, his determination is as fierce as it was on the pitch. His story is not only about loss and struggle but also about courage, new beginnings, and finding purpose.
“Football gave me everything I have. Helping young players felt like the least I could do to give back,” he explains.
Mike Baraza's take on returning to school
Baraza's journey resonates deeply with the countless retired athletes who face uncertainty once their careers end.
Done with the first semester, the 46-year-old is currently on holiday and waiting to start the second one in September.
For the fans who once cheered his goals, Mike Baraza’s greatest victory may not be on the pitch but in the classrooms of Thika, where he is rewriting his future, one lesson at a time.
“Going back to class after years away isn’t easy, but I see it as a second chance," he adds. "If I can be part of making someone else’s journey lighter, then it will all be worth it,” Baraza says.
His story is one of resilience and reinvention, a reminder that life after football, or any sporting career, requires adaptability and courage.
Bungoma student who dropped out returns to school
In an unrelated case, Wanyonyi, a young man who abandoned his education dreams and worked at a mjengo site, recently returned to school.
The youngster flaunted his new school uniform as he made a return after dropping out in mid-2022 because of school fees.
Kenyans were delighted with the news, as some had played a part in taking the Bungoma boy back to school.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
