For months, Kenyan footballers Brian Andaje and Sunday Adam Majimbo survived on the streets of Indonesia, far from the professional contracts they had been promised. This week, they finally stepped off a plane back home.
The two players arrived in Indonesia in December 2025, lured by what they believed was a legitimate opportunity to sign with professional clubs. An intermediary had assured them contracts would be waiting upon arrival. Instead, they were never introduced to a single club. As weeks turned into months, the intermediary's communication faded entirely — and so did their savings.
Without income and unable to pay for accommodation, the pair found themselves sleeping rough, relying on the kindness of strangers and whatever limited help they could get from relatives and friends back home.
"It was one of the most difficult periods of our lives," Andaje said after his return. "We had almost lost hope."
The players eventually made their way from Bali to Jakarta, acting on advice from acquaintances who suggested they might find assistance there. It was a last roll of the dice.
Union Network Steps In
After Kenya's players' union, KEFWA, learned of the pair's plight, they reached out to their Indonesian counterparts, APPI. The response was swift. APPI representatives met Andaje and Majimbo within days, covering their daily living expenses and temporary accommodation.
For the final three weeks before their departure, the Kenyan Embassy in Jakarta provided the players with a place to stay, while KEFWA coordinated with families and stakeholders back in Kenya to arrange their return.
"No player should ever find themselves abandoned in a foreign country without support," said APPI Secretary General Gotcha Michael. "As player unions, we have a responsibility to protect footballers when they face situations like this."
KEFWA President James Situma, a former Kenya international, said the case underscored the importance of cross-border solidarity among player unions. "Together, we were able to ensure that Brian and Sunday returned home safely to their families," he said.
For Majimbo, the experience left a lasting impression — not just of hardship, but of the people who refused to look away.
"We will never forget the support we received," he said.
A Wider Pattern of Exploitation
While Andaje and Majimbo are now home, their story is far from unique.
Across Africa, players are increasingly being targeted by individuals posing as agents or intermediaries, promising trials and contracts that never materialise. In 2023, FIFPRO Africa launched a campaign with the Didier Drogba Foundation and the International Labour Organisation to raise awareness of the problem.
A survey of 263 professional players from seven African countries found that more than 70 per cent had been approached by someone claiming they could secure a move abroad. More than half never received the promised trial, and 44 per cent did not sign the contract they had been led to expect.
Situma urged players to exercise caution: "Every year, players are approached with opportunities that seem attractive but have not been properly verified. Seeking advice early can make all the difference."
FIFPRO and its member unions advise players to verify that any intermediary is licensed by FIFA, to never pay an agent before signing with a club, and to contact their player union for legal guidance before travelling abroad.
For Andaje and Majimbo, the ordeal is over — but the warning echoes far beyond their own return.