Malawi lad, Kakhome, 15, wins K120M football scholarship in US

Fortune favours the brave, they say. But the brave do not wait for fortune to locate them, they work hard and keep the focus.

Ask nearly any successful person and they’ll say hard work helped them achieve their dreams and goals.

Working hard is often the difference between success and failure, but is also a rewarding pursuit in itself.

That is a story of one young Malawian ambitious young man who at the age of eight set his eyes on the ultimate price.

15-year old Lilongwe born Christian Kakhome has earned a 3-year high school comprehensive financial aid package, worth around MK120 million to attend school at the prestigious Milton Academy, located in the state of Massachusetts in the USA.

The Milton Academy is a school frequently ranked in the top 10 private schools in the country.

In addition to this Christian (15 years old), joins fellow Ascent Soccer graduate, Zobran Elias as a Davis Scholar, awarded to exceptional international students by a select group of boarding schools in the US.

The Davis Scholarship supports with travel, academic resources and most importantly, a sizeable MK80m commitment spread over four years towards university fees.

Christian was just eight years old when he was scouted by Ascent Soccer, joining as the youngest player at the football academy (then called Chigoli Academy) when it was being formed.

Seven years of effort developing as a player, person and a student, Christian has emerged as one of the leading under 15 talents in Malawian football and attracted the interest of a number of top boarding school soccer programs on the East Coast of the USA.

Academy Founder, George Maguire said: “Christian’s journey from youngest player in the academy to global scholar, using his footballing abilities to leverage a truly world-class education and future has been a joy to share.

Highly athletic, good with both feet and with an eye for the goal, Christian has an exciting future in the game.

Academically bright, athletically agile and with strong character he is an ideal candidate for an athletic scholarship in the US and we are delighted for him to earn this opportunity.

Christian’s father, Limbani Kakhome reflects on his son’s achievement.

‘Parental support is a key element to the young ones in their quest to pursue their passions and realise their dreams.

“Me and his mother are both very excited and pray he continues to be an inspiration for many upcoming students and athletes,” he said.

Christian follows in the footsteps of the Ascent’s first graduate, Zobran Elias who is at Taft School in Connecticut and miss Lughano Nyondo at Brooks School in Massachusetts as the third Ascent Soccer player to access a global scholarship pathway to the US since 2018.

Since 2015 Ascent has assessed 30,000 youth players and selected an Academy of 65 who are built around 3 male squads and one female squad.

Ascent provides private education, advanced soccer coaching, character development and nutritional/medical support for its players.

Ascent Soccer continues to provide a flow of players for Malawi’s national teams, having produced 10 youth internationals since 2018 for both male and female national teams at under 17 and 20 teams.

Based in Lilongwe, Ascent Soccer has a 3 grass pitched facilities, a gym, tactics and video analysis rooms and academic support classroom.

The facilities are located between Mtandire and Old Airport in Lilongwe.

Sharing is caring!