Kourage Athletics, an NGO committed to creating jobs and sustaining livelihoods in Kenya, has launched the African nationʼs first line of running kit.
The clothes, which are designed and manufactured in Kenya, aim to harness Kenyaʼs storied running tradition, which has not only produced some of the worldʼs greatest distance runners, but earned the country an international reputation for excellence in the field.
Employing a modern fit, fashion-forward designs and performance quick-dry fabric, each Kourage garment is suitable for completing a marathon or a quick workout at the gym.
"Kenyan runners are world-class. We wanted to create an equally impressive garment" said Joseph Kisuli, 23, Kourage Athletics fashion designer.
"We combine the fit of your favourite tshirt with the best performance fabric in the world," Hussein Kurji, Operations Manager, remarked.
"We tested Kourage garments under extreme conditions, in snow at Mt. Kenya and in the heat of the Rift Valley plains. Kourage garments are perfect for any athletic endeavour."
Kourage Athleticsʼs ambitions are broader than simply selling clothes: the organisation aims to change lives in Kenya. Revenue from each Kourage Athletics garment is injected into the Kenyan economy, sustaining jobs and creating wealth for Kenyans.
Chris Markl, 31, American Operations Director, commented: "From our garmentʼs fit and feel, to our organisationʼs vision and values, Kourage makes you feel good.ʼʼ
Why the name Kourage? Markl remarks, "Kourage is doing something outside of one's comfort zone: going back to school, training for a 5k or a marathon, travelling outside of oneʼs country for the first time. Kourage is how we change the world."
Kourage Athletics garments are for sale at kourage.org.
