Former Kakamega Homeboyz winger Felicien Okanda is praying for a seamless transition from Kenyan to Canadian football after relocating with his family.Okanda, quietly moved to Canada in March ending his eight-year stay in Kenya as a refugee-cum footballer.For starters, Okanda and his family arrived in Kenya in 2016 as refugees after armed conflict ejected them from their home in South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Despite being a refugee, he featured for Nzoia Sugar between January 2019 to February 2023 after being scouted from the Kakuma Refugee Camp Football Club.##NAJAVA_MECA_8103881##The 29-year-old joined Homeboyz in February last year and played a crucial role in inspiring the team to clinch the Mozzart Bet Cup, the club’s first major title since its inception.Having relocated to Canada, Okanda craves a taste of action at the professional level, a dream he has been harbouring since childhood.”My family and I have settled well here in Canada. We are trying our best to fully blend in. At the same time, I am actively looking for a football club for I haven’t given up on the chase for professional football. When I started playing football, I dreamt of expressing myself outside Africa and I believe this is the time to actualize it, ” he told Mozzart Sport in a telephone interview.How Okanda revived his football career at the Kakuma refugee campReflecting on his stay in Kenya and the success he achieved, Okanda couldn’t help but express gratitude for the opportunities and growth he experienced in the country that he says, gave him the platform to showcase his football talent to the world.Heri Milongo: The unsung hero transforming lives through football at the Kakuma Refugee CampBesides the cup triumph with Homeboyz, the former Ukapi FC player won the Kakuma League and was voted the competition’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2017.”I enjoyed my time in Kenya. The peace, kindness and opportunity to revive my football dream are some of the many reasons I will remain indebted to Kenya and her citizens. I made friends and gained a lot of exposure through playing in the Kenyan top tier,” he said.Meanwhile, Okanda challenged the rest of the refugee players holed up in various camps and football clubs in the country to remain grounded and focused on achieving their goals.Against All Odds: The inspirational journey of Paul Jawa, refugee turned football starThe former Aigle Noir winger said there exist opportunities for professional football for everyone including refugee players and thus, those who remained behind shouldn’t give up.”Some years ago, players who had relocated would visit the Kakuma Camp and encourage us to keep on working hard and believing in ourselves. I took their advice seriously and worked hard on the pitch. I am glad that I have made a step towards achieving my career and life goals. I can only urge the rest to take football seriously and believe in themselves, ” added the former Safari FC player.
