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The former Olympian and national champion, Benson Gicharu, is set to launch his autobiography and continues uplifting his community post-retirement.
Six years after retiring from boxing, Benson Gicharu is set to launch his autobiography, From Scars to Stardom detailing his journey from the challenges of the Mukuru slums to the heights of international sports and beyond.
The book launch, scheduled for August 10 at Charter Hall in Nairobi—a venue steeped in boxing history—promises to be more than just a celebration of Gicharu's achievements in the ring; it marks his ongoing commitment to uplifting his community.
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Gicharu’s story is a compelling narrative of overcoming adversity.
“My story is a great paradox. It starts at Mukuru slums at Mukuru Fuata Nyayo where I grew up,” Gicharu shares.
His early life was marred by hardships, from the loss of his father in 1998 to struggles with poverty that kept him out of school temporarily.
Boxing became his outlet and eventually his salvation.
“In two weeks after my dad’s death, I found myself in the gym. I wanted to throw away all the frustrations that life had thrown towards me,” he explains.
The decision to turn to boxing opened doors for Gicharu that he had never imagined.
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His talent in the ring brought him national and international acclaim, but it was his role as a corporal in the Kenya Police Service that truly transformed his life and that of his family.
“After I was recruited to Kenya police, my life started to take shape,” he notes.
His achievements in the service and in sports culminated in his participation as the sole male Olympian for Kenya in 2012, an honor that coincided with his promotion to corporal.
Retirement from boxing in 2018 did not mean an end to Gicharu's influence or ambition.
Instead, he redirected his energy toward community service, particularly through the formation of the Mukuru Fight4Life team.
This initiative channels the energies of young people in the slums away from poverty and potential misdirection into sports and dance.
"We have a very promising team... Most ghetto kids are thriving to fight poverty. That's where I derived the name from,” he proudly states.
The launch of “From Scars to Stardom” is not just a personal milestone for Gicharu but also a platform to inspire and empower.
The book details not only his rise to stardom but also his profound impact on the community, reflecting his belief that “what you have achieved will be buried with you when you are gone, but the lives you impact will always remain.”
As Gicharu prepares to share his life’s narrative with the world, his story serves as a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of resilience and dedication.
Through his words and actions, Benson Gicharu continues to fight—not in the ring, but for the future of the young people of Mukuru and beyond.
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