Apart from shining academically in international exams, Beverly School of Kenya based in Nyandarua is implementing a modern 15,000-seater stadium, one of its kind in the region.

The proprietor of the STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) school, which sits on a 40 acres land near Engineer Town, is former AFC Leopards player Abdi Lidonde, brother to Harambee Stars and AFC Leopards striker Tony Lidonde.

The elder Lidonde has started building the Elijah Lidonde Sports Complex, a modern facility which will help tap football talents not only from the region but other parts of the country.

Lidonde, the son of the late Elijah Lidonde who played and coached AFC Leopards and the national team Harambee Stars in the early 80s and late 90s took issue with the government for not playing its role properly to nurture the many football talents locally.

“Kenya can make a mark in the world but the government is not working hard to help the talented kids.

I have seen kids with talents, but fail to meet their dreams because the environment changes completely.

In the US, people are not paid unless they work. People there take time seriously. America changed me completely. Its own people builds America.

The Alumni go back and help their former schools to grow. That is why Harvard is the best. They are the ones who make it remain on top after succeeding in life,” said Lidonde.

The idea of starting an international school came in 2004 after his mother Beverly passed on in 1999.

He chose the place because of the weather, which is like Massachusetts in the North Eastern part US where he lived for 40 years and boasts of the best colleges like Harvard and Princeton.

“When I arrived in Kinangop, people grew Irish potatoes on the piece of land. The hardest part has been building because this place was not accessible,” he added.

According to the former footballer, it is not easy to start a science, technical and mathematics school anywhere.

This is because it is very expensive buying parts for the practical and research, but through the partnership with George, the school came up and is established itself well.

“STEM schools are all over the world but they are very expensive to run. However in Kenya we want to be different from others. We want to be compared with the best in the world.

I thank God we have iconic people on the board who will enable us to be one of the top in Kenya and that is the future.

As the new things will be discovered by the students, we need to change and research on the change of natural ones,” he says.

The school is also planning to put a dispensary and a track for athletics.
“I’m sure the athletes will be flocking here to train since we have the necessary facilities including a hotel.

All teachers stay at the school and they eat the same food and play with students.

The school also boasts of a mathematics lab, biology lab, physics, chemistry and stores for equipment and is very efficient in science practical.

“Kenya should think about technology and then help the youth. Students who come from this school start their own business to generate their income,” he says.

The school has classes with small numbers, as all students are less than 100 students.

For example form four has only seven learners while class eight has eight of them and that is why the school had no problem with maintaining social distancing even before coronavirus pandemic was reported in the country.

We even have kids of between six and seven years and we teach them how to be responsible.

Once the state of the art stadium is completed it will consist of well-refurbished VIP rooms for fans and a swimming pool of an international status.

“STEM schools are the future. Lidonde insisted that Kenya has talented players who can attract top clubs in Europe.

He urged the government to be seriously involved in nurturing talents and improve the state of sporting facilities as he believes the country should use sports for prosperity.