Kenya is home to the world’s greatest marathon runners. This is a badge we wear with honour and one that explains why running is part and parcel of our culture. For years, though, our fashion industry has designed every wardrobe in vogue except proper footwear for our athletes. Cognisant of the importance of quality footwear for our athletes, Navalayo Osembo endeavoured to change the game in African sportswear and co-founded Enda, Africa’s first performance running footwear line in honour of our running heritage. 

 

Navalayo’s Sports Interest 

Sports is deeply ingrained in Navalayo’s essence. Growing up in a military camp near Eldoret – the City of Champions – meant that Navalayo was exposed to sports from a very young age. She saw soldiers wake up to run and do their fitness drills every morning and professional athletes hitting the road daily in preparation for international competitions, and she would join them sometimes on her way to school. This embedded in her a love for sports, and with every sport she encountered, a deep appreciation developed in her. 

Navalayo grew up to become one of the most multifaceted professionals. A 2014 London School of Economics graduate, her skills include law, humanitarian work, accounting, risk management, and international development. Courtesy of this diverse skillset, Navalayo has worked in East Africa, the UK, and the US, where she is currently based. 

This global experience opened Navalayo’s eyes to the potential sports had to transform lives, which led her to establish a sports academy in her hometown of Bungoma to provide budding sports enthusiasts with professional training as they sought their footing. Unfortunately, this attempt wasn’t successful, but Navalayo walked away with lessons and a mission to let everyone know about the impact sports could have on their lives. 

 

Establishing Enda 

Navalayo’s advocacy for sports led her on the path to partnership. During a speaking event in 2015, she met Weldon Kennedy, an individual who held the same hope and belief that Kenya could earn more value from its reputation as a running country. Together, they founded Enda Athletic Limited – a Kenyan running footwear brand and the first of its kind in Africa. 

To kick start Enda, Navalayo and her cofounder surveyed different Kenyan athletes to determine what a perfect running shoe looked like for them. The research yielded incredible results as they learnt that different runs required different shoes. As a result, they spent the first two years designing different trainers with the athletes’ help. In 2017, they launched their first Enda shoe. 

 

More than Shoes 

Enda shoes are not just shoes. The trainers carry with them the story and essence of Kenyan athletics. The brand’s name and those of its pioneer shoes, Iten and Lapatet are an ode to our pride and excellence in running.  

Besides creating jobs for many talented Kenyan designers, Enda, through the Enda Community Foundation, is empowering communities and changing lives. Two percent of the proceeds from the sale of each pair of shoes are channeled toward supporting community projects that seek to uplift people including youth and women. 

Enda’s positioning as a sustainable global brand is changing how the world views Kenya as a creative hub teeming with untapped skills. The Made in Kenya stamp on their shoes is a mark of our quality fashion statements and a representation of our deep connection with our culture and raw talent. 

As co-founder and CEO, Navalayo Osembo is a trailblazer and pioneer among #KeDesigners, steering sustainability in fashion and changing the game in sports shoe design.