By THE BUDDY
Michael Ngene Wanjiku, an administrator at Kenya Golf Union is the scholarship award winner of the Dream Together Masters Program 2021-2023.
The award will give the 29-year-old Ngene an opportunity to study a Masters Degree in Global Sport Management at Seoul National University, in the Republic of Korea.
The Dream Together Program offers full scholarship and provides a curriculum embracing a range of topics in sports to help students reach their full potential.
“The journey started years back at Riara Primary school to Kijabe Boys secondary school after which I qualified to undertake a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Sports Management at Kenyatta University,” said Mr. Ngene during the award ceremony that took place this afternoon at Muthaiga Golf Club.
“I am so grateful to my family, Kenya Golf Union and Olympics Kenya for this opportunity, I am nervous but excited that I will be flying the Kenyan flag in a foreign country,” he added as we caught up with him on his final preparations handing over his administrative duties at the KGU secretariat in preparation to head out to Seoul.
This will be the first time a Kenyan will be taking part in the program that has been running for 8 years.
Olympics Kenya Ag. Secretary General, Francis Mutuku, explaining the scholarship process said, “Ngene was among seven Kenyans who applied for the scholarship, and he was one of the two top candidates who were competitively selected by the Education Commission of Olympics Kenya and their profiles forwarded to Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).”

 

“The scholarship process was very elaborate, with applications received by ANOC from all 205 nations. His outstanding profile, a demonstrated passion in sports administration, in his role especially in running the amateur golf league in Kenya, coupled with his outstanding education abilities made him a qualified candidate for the Masters program,” he said.
He is one among 10 other candidates from across the world who will join Seoul National University for the two-year program starting this fall.
The Kenya Golf Union Chief Executive Officer Vincent Wang’ombe praised Michael as the best candidate for the opportunity and encouraged citizens to participate in sports including golf.
“I am so happy for Michael and convinced that he is able to take the course and will be able to transform sports in future after completing the studies. Michael is a golfer, has worked with top golfers, therefore understands what it takes to play at that high level. As KGU we’d like to build capacity of our institution, we’d want to learn from Korea, from their excelling women and junior golf program, and how we can borrow the same for our country,” he said.
Philip Ochola, the Honorable Secretary of KGU mentioned that, “Our aim is to get to the Olympics, be one of the top countries in golf, we are aiming for LA 2028.”
“KGU has already started on this pathway with a vibrant junior golf running in the country as we target to develop youngsters,” he added.
With most programs having resumed after the coronavirus pandemic interruption, the Executive of Olympics Kenya is keen to seek more of such opportunities, and more will be rolled out in the coming months.
Mutuku mentioned that capacity building is one of the main objectives of the NOC-K Executive, to develop technical and administrative expertise in Kenya and that in the near future, Olympics Kenya expects to have a strong network of active sports professionals that extends across the country, to promote sport development in Kenya.

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