Kibera athletes find new home in Karen thanks to well wishers

A team of Kenyan athletes from Kibera have found a new home in Karen where they will be offered free accommodation as they prepare to represent the country in the oncoming Commonwealth Games that will be held next year. 

The duathlon athletes have lived in Kibera almost all their lives and faced many challenges including resources and access to training facilities. 

The team comprises Kennedy Ochieng, Sussy Wanjala, Joyce Omondi, Eddy Odhiambo,Victor Onditi, and Isaac Washington.

Former Harambee Stars captain Musa Otieno teamed up with local betting firm Bet Lion to provide housing, a training car, gear among other items that would help facilitate them during this process as they prepare for the tournament. 

A duathlon is an athletic event that consists of a running leg, followed by a cycling leg and then another running leg. 

The house in Karen is also closer to the Kibiko forest where they have been training for their local competitions

The team will also be able to access the Karen Waterfront facility for training. 

Vincent Ochieng is the Director of the Kibera Sports Development Programme in Nairobi.

 Working with the athletes from his neighbourhood, he has helped them beat all the odds and make it to the 2019 Pontevedra World Duathlon Championships. 

“I believe in life you can achieve anything you want if you are willing to work for it because nothing comes on a silver plate. In my training, I run 20 kilometres and cycle for 50 kilometres per day,” one of the athletes Kennedy Ochieng’ said in a past interview. 

“We all met in Kibera one of the world's largest slums situated in the capital of Nairobi in 2008. I was 23 at the time and the boys were all between 10 and 13 years of age. We were all born and raised up here,” Vincent recalled.