As you wade through the Kitale-Eldoret Road, one cannot imagine the small village of Lumino, in Likuyani constituency, Kakamega County, prides itself as the home to Soy United Football Club, a club that defied the odds to make it to the National Super League in consecutive seasons.The youthful club suffered relegation from the National Super League at the end of the 2020/2021 campaign after rising through the County, Division Two, and Division One Leagues in consecutive years since its inception in late 2017.It got me interested and took the solemn journey to unmask the magic behind the tiny village club’s rise, landing at Ivugwi Primary School grounds: the home of Soy United.Everyone is eager and preparing for the delayed 2021/2022 season to commence at an unknown date across the village but one calm and mistaken person is Mr.Edwin Ayiro Chahilu, the Founder, and Patron.The team had a torrid maiden season in the NSL, managing just five wins and 13 draws from the 37 games they played in the season but Ayiro maintains it was a good learning phase for him and for the team.After a couple of failed meetup exchanges, I finally get hold of this young Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a humble man with a vision and passion to drive the club to its best, Premier League status perhaps.Sir, why Soy United? I start him off. He lingers, sighs, and delves into talking about his beloved Soy United with utmost passion.Soy is home, Soy is in my blood, it got me wondering how do I do something for the community back then as my dream to play professional football was cut off by the lure of becoming an advocate and my parents, particularly my dad’s, passion for academics. Needless to say, I played football all through High School to University and was featured for then feared Ivugwi FC. Football oozes through my blood, I would have become a modern coach if the setup allowed. It’s a passion.It must have been a journey to get to the NSL last season?What a journey! God was gracious to us as Soy Family, we had one of the wildest dreams founded on an uncommon creed, ‘words are life’. We dreamt through words, planned and put in the work, by the time we were preparing for the NSL playoffs, I was lucky to patron one of the best squads ever assembled across the Western and Nyanza region, I still dream about how strong that group was in terms of character and desire to just believe in nothing but words, it was phenomenal.The A team#soystrong pic.twitter.com/kx2G34wAME— Soy United (@united_soy) July 27, 2021 What transpired after qualification to the NSL?On our way to play Sindo United we were at position two, and a win was on the cards before the first case of Corona Virus was reported in the country and all footballing activity suspended. It was shuttering and for some time we felt like what we had been working hard for would go down the drain. It was a tough six months as I feared letting the group go home thus we continued with training until after six months when we played our playoffs by virtue of being second in our zone as at then.It drained me financially, as we had 30 players camping throughout and had to pay up promotional bonuses, and two weeks later our season commenced, with our home games at Bukhungu Stadium where we expended Ksh 10,000 on the venue, Ksh 5000 on ambulance services, Ksh 5000 on security, a further Ksh 28,000 on transport and at times offered a small stipend to players minus meals and such, thus we spent more than any other team at home by virtue of Kakamega County being home to Soy United and Bukhungu the most immediate accredited stadium of use. Again, we lost our players and coaches to Premier league side Sofapaka thus distorting our continuity, it was suffocating on one individual’s shoulders.You must be a pillar of sacrifice, but have you approached corporates for sponsorship deals?To date, I have done close to 45 proposals for partnership and Sponsorships, got countless regrets on Covid effects grounds, others purely on disinterest in football, even the County Government of Kakamega went mute, the 750,000 a season grant to NSL clubs is a meagre shot in the arm, as an away trip costs no less than 120,000 and each side has over 10 away matches coupled with other costs of running a football club.Today is world appreciation day.We at soy united appreciate our fans for holding our back(s) since time immemorial. Twasema asante sana🙏. #soyniyetu #tutokeegrao pic.twitter.com/EWSXGGVlP0— Soy United (@united_soy) July 23, 2021 I must add, many of my peers chipped in and we had very understanding suppliers within the community and the landlord at our hostel who often offered services and to date, we are still indebted to them. We have not given up and keep on knocking on doors, we are keen on securing a partnership as opposed to sponsorship as we want to infuse professionalism in our day to day running of a football academy; U15, Girls team, U19, and the senior team. It requires a lot of planning and sound frugality. We have enormous talent across this country that can be tapped well only when local feeder clubs like ours get partners.You lost over 12 first-team players to a host of NSLClubs, any financial gains?Firstly, these boys are family, you can never sell family for anything but again, it is my solemn wish that they make it to the top leagues globally and pray for them daily, however, our club only made reasonable amounts when it let go of Ambrose Sifuna, Simon Makaka and Bryson Juma to Sofapaka a couple of seasons ago, up to this minute we are still playing Russian roulette with clubs to pay a meagre Ksh 15,000 per player in development fee.Developing talents is an expensive venture, and sadly, Soy United has lost great ambassadors but again, we are currently tapping talent in readiness for the upcoming season. Another challenge in these transfers is that at times some clubs have no futuristic vision as to the development of talent and that is the area we concentrate on, as opposed to buying ready-made products. It takes more time and resources but once you let go, you do not get the value of the investment. EXCLUSIVE: How Okanda revived his football career at the Kakuma refugee campWhat is the plan going forward for you and Soy United in the near future, and in the long term?Soy United Football Club will be back in the NSL in a season’s time. If we manage to secure partners we will aim for FKFPL qualification in two seasons and then target a major trophy once in the top league.Match day 2 all the best @soyunitedfc pic.twitter.com/ngCZBcNWv3— Chahilu .A.Edwin (@wakiliayiro) October 19, 2019 We believe in the adage that what gets measured gets done. Importantly, we are keen to reinvigorate our U15, Girls team, and U19 sides. Above all, we are keen to develop a wholistic person with deep values that will enhance success in life after football.How do you balance all these tasks?I guess it’s my passion and value of challenges in life, for life that is unexamined is not worth living. I have an understanding family, although at times we quarrel a lot because of time and resources expended, I still get a lot of support from them. My late grandmother always told me, ‘Do not stop to help, for if you do, you stop to live’. No wonder our motto goes: Help One To Help Another.From obscurity to limelight- the inspiring story of Rooney Onyango
