Navalayo Osembo has over the years wondered if there was more to Kenya and her popularity in sports and particularly athletics.
Despite Kenya being a powerhouse in athletics, the country had not contributed much to determining how and what shoes worn by athletes are made.
Shoes, and a proper pair at that, are very important for an athlete.
A good running shoe helps prevent injuries, can improve an athlete’s performance and enables quick shifts and directional changes when running.
It was this motivation that spurred Navalayo to breathe into life an idea she had for a shoe brand: Enda.
“Enda came from various things. One was the realisation that Kenya has a really great reputation in running, but we are not taking advantage of it economically. And that’s against the backdrop of having a lot of unemployment and poverty,” she says.
She contrasted Kenya against countries like Germany, the home of Adidas and Puma, yet they have established a reputation for making good shoes and applying their methodical approach.
The company is not just about producing shoes, Navalayo says. The shoes also tell a story about the country, culture and even birds. The shoes are named after these uniquely Kenyan resources as a way to preserve this information, as you would with oral literature.
“Initially, information used to be passed down to generations through stories and narratives. Now we have the opportunity to document them and have something tangible to learn more about our country and culture,” she says.
Some of the key milestones since they launched in 2017 include the moment when the award-winning Kenyan actor Lupita Nyong’o wore their shoes.
As Kenya joined the world in celebrating International Women’s Day, Navalayo spoke to the Safaricom Newsroom about her attempt to make an impact in the sports sector.
