Navalayo Osembo is the co-founder and CEO of Enda Athletic, Inc, an African running shoe business in Kenya that draws inspiration from the world’s finest runners.
She became interested in sports at a young age while growing up in a military camp in Eldoret, UasinGishu County.
Navalayo grew up to become one of the most diverse professionals, having worked in East Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Her global experience led her to start a tennis sports academy in Bungoma, where she trained aspiring athletes professionally.
Following their meeting in 2015, Navalayo co-founded Enda Athletic Limited with Weldon Kennedy.
While establishing the company, Navalayo and her partners embarked on a fact-finding journey to identify what the ideal running shoe should look like.
“We spent the first two years of the business working on the prototypes and getting suitable manufacturers to make the products locally,” she said.
Eventually, their marketing campaign yielded results, and they moved on to collaborate with athletes to design other running shoes.
Linnet Kathambi: Hawker Who Rose to Become CEO of Multi-million Business
“We aim to produce these shoes as ethically as possible in Kenya and sell them around the world. Through Kenyan production, global sales, and persistent storytelling, Enda Athletic provides a means through which runners globally can connect to Kenyan running greatness,” she said.
Navalayo has also overseen the formation of the Enda Community Foundation, which empowers communities and transforms lives.
To make it work, two percent of the proceeds from the sale of each pair of shoes go towards community projects.
“So far, we have supported a community-based organization in Nairobi’s Korogocho slums that teaches life skills through sports, an NGO in Nandi County that buys livestock for disadvantaged women to help them earn a livelihood, and most recently, an organization in Kenya’s coast that empowers girls through sports We have also given direct cash grants to athletes. I am excited about the future because we have the capacity to create an impact for so many more people,” she said.
Navalayo hopes Enda will be one of the top three running shoe brands globally.
Enda Sportswear is sponsoring the nations of Comoros, Gabon and Djibouti at the Paris Olympics, a significant milestone in the company’s history and marching towards establishing a global footprint.
