Written by Canadian SportWORKS Officer, Jenna Sherrington
Mambo!
I’m back with another rundown on life in Nairobi and what we’ve been up to at NOCK! It’s been pretty busy since my last post. I can’t believe I’m already 2/3 through my time here! First off, we’ve had a few more Cheza Healthy events! It was amazing—and honestly, pretty special—to see our work being implemented. Our first event was at Kanjeru Girls School, which Luna covered in her last blog post. The second was at the M-PESA Foundation Academy. Both were, in my completely unbiased opinion, resounding successes.
At Kanjeru Girls School, we were lucky to have Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, speak about his journey in athletics—a road that was anything but linear—and how he ultimately achieved the African record in the 100m. We also had the Kenyan Wushu team perform demonstrations at both events. If you don’t know what wushu is, I highly recommend looking it up.
School Cheza Healthy event
The M-PESA Foundation Academy is an incredibly unique high school because it has an International Baccalaureate program and is fully sponsored by the M-PESA Foundation, making quality education accessible to students without financial burden. Admission is based on a combination of academic performance, leadership abilities, and a strong sense of civic responsibility. The school’s campus is breathtaking, and from the moment we arrived, we were met with warmth and enthusiasm from both students and staff, making the experience all the more meaningful. Students at this school are grouped into four houses, creating a strong spirit of teamwork and rivalry. We set up a series of fun activities, including piggyback races, mixed relays, and a spirited tug-of-war, reinforcing the importance of movement in maintaining lifelong health and well-being. At this event, our superstar coworker and Team Kenya beach handball player, Phiona Pheleshia, gave a fantastic talk about her career as an athlete.
As part of my practicum project, I’ve been working on integrating mental health awareness into the Cheza Healthy Project. Mental illnesses are classified as non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and can often be triggered by physical NCDs. I had the opportunity to give a brief talk about this at the M-PESA Foundation Academy event. It’s important to highlight that physical activity has a huge impact on overall mental health and well-being. The tree-planting initiative of the LEA Movement ties into this, not just as an environmental stewardship project, but as a way to create green spaces—proven to have positive effects on mental health.
Through this project, I’ve discovered I have an intense fear of public speaking—one I didn’t even realize I had before this. I’ve done countless class presentations in front of peers and teachers, but standing on a stage in front of 300-500 people? Completely different. Despite knowing my material inside and out, the moment I stood up with a mic in hand, my mind went blank. I’m fairly certain I blacked out because all I remember from our first Cheza Healthy presentation was Luna handing me the mic and then somehow finding myself back in my seat. Definitely not how I thought it would go.
For the second event, I was determined to be better prepared. I practiced in front of my mirror and on FaceTime with friends until I felt confident enough to get back up there. But you know what they say about best-laid plans. I made it through introducing myself before one of my coworkers took it upon themselves to interrupt and told me to repeat myself because she said they couldn’t understand the way I spoke. If I weren’t already terrified, I probably would have brushed it off or even found it funny, as it was likely intended. But in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to burst into tears, walk off stage, and book the next flight home. Luckily, I was more shocked than anything that they didn’t just wait until later to suggest I slow down a bit as I had told them before going up that I was really scared. I managed to repeat myself, finish the presentation, and made it back home before letting myself cry.
Truthfully, this hurt. I’m not naturally super outgoing and have always found I express myself better in writing than in speech. But I stepped outside my comfort zone and pushed myself in a way I never had before. So, despite how that attempt went, I’m proud of myself. And while this might sound like a negative experience, I’m choosing to see it as a win—because I didn’t walk off stage in tears, and I didn’t book the next flight home.
On a lighter note; another really interesting and exciting opportunity for the Cheza Team arrived in the form of a Sports and Health Capacity Development Initiative Consultative Workshop. This was a collaborative effort between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and was hosted by NOC-K and KCA University. The event gathered experts from various countries to evaluate a new course in development. We gave a quick presentation on the Cheza Healthy project and it was incredible to see the level of interest in it. Many attendees expressed curiosity about potential collaborations and even the possibility of broadening the project’s reach into other parts of East Africa. It’s been really inspiring to see my coworkers in action, using sport as a tool to uplift and empower young people while making a tangible difference in the community.
Before diving into the next event I attended, which was in Mathare, I want to introduce some of the incredible organizations we’ve recently begun collaborating with, including the Canada Mathare Education Trust https://www.cmetrust.org/ and the Mathare Slums Community Association (MaSCA) https://mathare.org/. Through connections made by SportWORKS Program Manager Ryan Pelley, Luna and I were introduced to Titus Kuria and Charles Onyango, and we’ve started forming a partnership through Cheza Healthy. Another inspiring initiative we’ve connected with is Greenpekee Infrastructure & Greenpekee Ecosolutions, which is addressing waste management and sanitation challenges in Mathare. By decentralizing waste disposal, promoting recycling, and improving water infrastructure, they’re working to create a cleaner, healthier community while providing green employment opportunities. Their efforts transform landfills into public spaces, install sustainable sanitation systems, and educate residents on proper waste management.
One of MaSCA’s most exciting projects right now is their school waste management initiative, which has been running for the past two years as a charity program. They started small, collecting waste from 15 schools in Mathare, but the impact has been huge—cleaner learning environments, better waste management habits among students, and a growing understanding that waste can be a resource rather than a problem. Now, they’re scaling up, aiming to expand to 50 schools and turn the initiative into a sustainable business. Their model not only improves sanitation and reduces pollution but also creates jobs for local youth in waste collection and recycling. It’s an incredible example of grassroots innovation, demonstrating how community-driven solutions can drive lasting change.
With this collaboration underway, we had the chance to take part in the Mathare Slums Community Association Football Tournament for Youth: Advocating for Well-Being and Environment on February 28th and March 1st. These were probably my favourite two days in Kenya so far. We played a round of football (where I was definitely more of a liability than an asset), planted trees with the LEA Movement, and did yoga with young mothers in Mathare. I also got a tour from the Swift Slum Integrators Mathare, where they showed me their urban farms and sustainability initiatives—like plastic sorting and bottle drives. Their hydroponic farm grows vegetables that are sold to locals or donated to the Saturday meal program run by the MaSCA. Luna and I even helped prep food for it!
One of the most special parts of this experience was walking through Mathare with Charles, one of MaSCA’s founders, who grew up there and showed me around his community. It was eye-opening in the best way. Seeing the passion these people have for their home and their drive to improve it for future generations was truly inspiring.
Now, for my side quests. A few weeks ago, Luna, her partner Reed, and I went climbing at Hell’s Gate National Park. It was incredible. Climbing basalt cliffs while zebras and warthogs ran across the savanna? Something I’ll never forget. It felt like something out of a novel—or a particularly spectacular dream. We climbed Fischer’s Tower, which actually inspired The Lion King’s Pride Rock. The views of Hell’s Gate Gorge from the top were unreal. Being tied in and climbing was probably the most myself I’ve felt since arriving in Kenya.
It was also interesting to experience the outdoor tourism industry here. Back in Canada, I would never hire a climbing guide—I have the gear, know the routes, and have transportation. But here, it was absolutely essential to have a guide for gear and local knowledge. It might be funny to say, considering my degree, but for the first time, I really understand the appeal of a fully guided outdoor activity. It was nice to sit back, enjoy the sun, and embrace the silence of the park.
The day after climbing, the same trio went on a quick Game Drive in Nairobi National Park. We were lucky enough to see not one, not two, but three lions—two females and a male. We also spotted zebras, ostriches, rhinos, hippos, gazelles, antelopes, hyenas, crocodiles, and countless bird species. It was a surreal, classic African experience, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had it. I hope to do another before we leave!
On February 15th, I hiked the Table Mountain to Seven Ponds traverse—hard, hot, but absolutely worth it for the views. The day after, on February 16th, I celebrated my birthday with a tour of Fairview Coffee Estate. As an avid coffee enthusiast, it was the perfect way to ring in 23. Shoutout to Luna for being a good sport and tagging along!
It’s been a whirlwind, and time here is flying. I’ve definitely been feeling a little homesick now and again but we’ve been busy with the project, and I keep reminding myself how special and wonderful this experience is. One thing that has helped immensely is knowing that I’m trying to make the most of every single day I have here.
Again, if you made it all the way down here, thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Asante sana, kwaheri!
Jenna
PS. Apparently Tuzo is a yogurt brand here…