Rwanda’s international and Rayon Sports FC goalkeeper Eric ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimiye’s story is a fairly tale. It’s a story of a young man who has beaten the odds to become probably the best goal keeper in the country.  The 27-year old goalie had his first attempt at football as a child playing on the streets.

Early days

Apart from playing soccer on the street for fun, the Kimihurura-native never imagined football would be his source of livelihood. He simultaneously played volleyball and football during his primary school days but he was more into volleyball than football until 2004.

In early 2004, Ndayishimiye was ‘hijacked’ by former second division league side GSK Generation Sportif de Kigali  FC (GSK) from U-17 national volleyball youth team residential camp in GSO Butare under mentorship and guidance of Eugene Rukundo, former GSK president.

Ever since that time, the now 27-year old goalie never looked back and has kept going with hard work, discipline and determination to see the future he never believed he could to live to see.

He featured for the Kimihurura-based GSK for one year (2004) in the junior team and two seasons in the senior team. In the 2005/2006, he helped the small club-tagged side to get promotion to topflight league for the 2006/2007 season when the team was combined with Renaissance FC to form AS Kigali.

Bakame played for the then newly created AS Kigali in the national league for one season (2006/2007) under technician Jean Baptiste Kayiranga and the side finished fourth in their debut season. In the 2007 summer, the then 19-year-old youngster was snapped up by league giants Atraco FC.

Life at Atraco FC

He only spent two years at Atraco but admits the two-season stint at the club turned his life around and made him a public figure and a regular for the national teams since 2008 til todate.

The father of two is most remembered for his brilliant performance at the 2008 Cecafa Kagame Cup in Sudan, helping Atraco to become the second local side to win the regional club championship outside Rwandan boarders after Rayon Sports’ 1998 triumph in Zanzibar.

At 21-year-old, Ndayishimiye stood steady between the goal posts as Atraco won the 2008/2009 league title under the guidance of late Jean Marie Ntagwabira.

"The 2007/08 and 200/09 are the two most important seasons in my career; I won Cecafa in 2008 and league title the following year. It’s a story I will definitely live to tell my kids and grandchildren,” he told this paper.

However, despite winning the league title and becoming the first team to challenge APR since Rayon Sports in 2005, Atraco FC was disbanded towards the start of 2009/2010 season and players moved to different sides including Ndayishimiye who signed for APR.

Career at APR

He served the military side for four seasons (2009-2013) and during the four-year spell with the 14-time champions APR, he helped the Black-and-White outfits to win three league and Peace Cup crowns in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively as well as 2010 Cecafa Kagame Cup title.

He also helped the side to finish second in the 2012/2013 league, reached semi-finals of the Peace Cup as well as the final of the Cecafa Kagame Cup in Darfur, Sudan where they lost to Burundian side Vital’O.

After four years of success, Ndayishimiye crossed from the three-time Cecafa champions APR to their biggest archrivals Rayon Sports in September 2013. His current contract with the Blues ends this summer and he is willing to extend it as long as he is still needed at the Nyanza-based side.

Last season (2013/2014), the charismatic shot-stopper helped the seven-time champions Rayon finish first runners-up in the league but were knocked out in the round of sixteen of Peace Cup. They were also eliminated in the quarter-finals of Cecafa Kagame Cup.

So far this season, struggling Rayon Sports FC are eighth in the 14-team league table standing with 24 points, having only managed to win 6, drawn 9 and lost 4 including Thursday’s 1-2 defeat at hands of Gicumbi FC.

National teams

Since early 2005, Ndayishimiye has featured for national teams at all levels, starting with U-17 side in 2005, the U-20s from 2007 to early 2009 and Amavubi Stars senior team from 2008 todate.

During his days in the U-20 Junior wasps, Bakame played a vital role in the team at the 2009 Afcon Junior Championships in Kigali, although Rwanda, despite enjoying home advantage, were eliminated in group stages.

His last appearance in the national team was in last year’s goalless draw with Morocco in Morocco under technician Stephen Constantine, currently coaching India.

Best and worst memories

"If my memory serves well, the worst match I played  is the humiliating 5-0 defeat of Amavubi against Ivory Coast in AFCON qualifiers at Amahoro stadium in September 2011 while the best is the 3-0 win over Morocco in the 2013 Afcon qualifiers in Kigali,” he explained.

The Rayon Sports custodian also noted that he is not sure where to classify last year’s 2-0 win over Congo Brazzaville, citing that the victory itself was one of the best but disqualification by Caf ruined everything and everyone’s efforts invested in the 2015 Afcon return-leg qualifier of second round.

Pro challenge

The skillful keeper is also open to any offer from outside Rwanda, but especially overseas professional career opportunity and believes a chance will come his way before he retires.

He also revealed to Saturday Sport that  he has had a number of offers from Zamalek (Egypt), Kenya and Tanzania before but APR refused to free him as he still had a contract with them.

Who is Ndayishimiye?

Born on January 1, 1988 in Kimihurura sector, Gasabo District of the city of Kigali to Anastase Habyarimana and Emilienne Mawazo, he is the last-born from a family of four children, three boys and one girl.

He lost his parents at a tender age, his father (Habyarimana) when he was barely 6-year old in late 1994 while the mother (Mawazo) died in 1996. He was raised by his elder brother.

"I was not lucky to enjoy the love of my parents when I needed them most, may their souls rest in peace. However, I stayed in safe and caring hands of my elder brother along with the rest of my siblings,” Ndayishimiye revealed.

In 2009, he married Naima Uwamahoro and the couple has been blessed with two kids, a six-year old son Allan Lucky Ndayishimiye and one-year old daughter Najumha Ndayishimiye. He attended Kimihurura-based EPAK primary school before joining Kimironko-based Sainte Marie secondary school for Ordinary Level studies. He completed  senior four at ESA Nyarugunga before heading to  GS APRED Ndera for his A Level studies.

The giant goalie has not enrolled to University yet but plans to do so in future, "First things first, I had to concentrate on football career and doing both simultaneously seemed impossible. I will surely join university one day.”

Apart from playing the beautiful game, earning a living and sustaining his family from it, the soft spoken Ndayishimiye is also a football fan and supports English Premier League giants Manchester United and looks up to legendary goalie Edwin Van Der Sar for inspiration. At the international level, he supports France.