Safaricom uses its position as the leading telco and one of the biggest companies in the country to maximise sponsorship of numerous sporting disciplines, which impact local communities in Kenya.
Over the past decade, Safaricom has invested close to KES 1 billion in Kenyan sports. This has been in a bid to connect and communicate with the Kenyan market especially the ever-growing youth segment for whom sports is a key interest.
Athletics is Kenya’s premier sports export. Kenyan athletes continue to shine on the global stage bringing honour and pride to the nation. Safaricom contributes to this global success through the Safaricom Athletics Series, which identifies and nurtures new talent whilst also transforming lives at the community level.
A shining example of societal impact through sports is the Kapenguria 10km Peace Road Race organised by the Tegla Loroupe Foundation and which is run under the Safaricom Athletics Series.
First held in 2003, the race was started by decorated marathoner Tegla Loroupe in a bid to bring together warriors from rival tribes so as to reduce conflict in the region. The race also raises funds for the foundation, which is focused on education, sports and medical needs.
“I have lost relatives to bandit attacks. My family’s cattle have been stolen by raiders. So, I know firsthand what it means when you talk about conflict. That is why I put my all to foster peace. I want to thank Safaricom because in 2003 I had no sponsor, but Safaricom offered to support me and they have backed me all through,” said Tegla in a previous interview.
Tegla dominated the marathon scene in the 1990s, first making history as the first African woman to win the New York City marathon in 1994 and going on to dominate in numerous big city marathons for over a decade.
Eliud Kipchoge is currently the most successful marathon runner in the world. He holds the marathon world record, is the Olympics marathon champion as well as the marathon world champion.
For Eliud, the next challenge is to use his success in sports to positively impact lives. “I have the Eliud Kipchoge foundation, which focuses on education, health and conservation. In order to impact communities, I want to plant trees where I train. I also want to construct a library in every county — an Eliud Kipchoge library — because I believe knowledge is what transforms people’s lives, knowledge is also what unites people.”
In January 2023, Safaricom donated KES 1 million to support Eliud’s Foundation and 5,000 seedlings to plant in Kaptagat Forest.
Safaricom has sought to use youth football tournaments to reach the masses who love the beautiful game and also discover and nurture talent, first through Sakata Ball and currently through Chapa Dimba. This has proven to be a great initiative with the lives of many changed for the better.
Benson Omalla, discovered through Chapa Dimba, has risen from the slums of Nyamasaria in Kisumu County to be the current top scorer in the country’s premier league.
Speaking after his stellar performance in the 2019 edition Omalla said: “A tournament like Chapa Dimba plays a big role in society because it keeps the youth gainfully engaged in football instead of loitering in the slums, using drugs or taking part in other vices. It has really helped.”
As a young boy, David Majak played football at the Kakuma Refugee camp in Turkana County. Following his success with West Pokot’s Kapenguria Heroes in the inaugural Chapa Dimba na Safaricom tournament, the South Sudanese refugee was able to join KPL team Kakamega Homeboyz, before a professional football stint in Sweden.
The Lewa Marathon is one of the longest running sports partnerships for Safaricom. The marathon has supported wildlife conservation and enhanced community development in Northern Kenya for the last 24 years.
The funds raised through the Safaricom-sponsored marathon have fundamentally changed the lives of communities surrounding the Lewa conservancy. One of the beneficiaries is Josephine Ekiru for whom the success of the marathon is a matter of life and death.
“Convincing two warring communities to drop their weapons and come together to form a community conservancy is a huge success. As communities living around Lewa, we are proud to be part of this legacy. We are thankful for each and every runner who participates to invest in a better life for us and our future generations,” says Josephine.
From athletics to football, Safaricom has been on hand to offer its support and thus contribute to the country’s global sporting success while also greatly impacting communities in remote and forgotten parts of Kenya.
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This story is in celebration of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), which is commemorated annually on April 6.
The day presents an opportunity to recognise the positive role that sports and physical activity play in local communities and in people’s lives across the globe.
The theme for this year is “Scoring for People and the Planet”.
