Retired and active athletes from Southern Region, in collaboration with Athletics Kenya cushioned vulnerable athletes from the region during this coronavirus pandemic.
Dubbed ‘Athlete to Athlete food Initiative programme’, they donated food to 50 athletes to help them fight the biting hunger after all sporting activities came to a halt, both locally and internationally, making their lives miserable.
According to the steering committee chairman Philip Muia, the athletes got more than what they had expected after some failing to carry home because of the bulkiness of the donations.
The event at the Public Works ground, each athlete carried home 12kg of maize floor, 2lt of cooking oil, 4kg of rice, two bars of washing soap, 250g of tea leaves and 2kg of sugar that will sustain them, if well utilized a month.
“The retired and active athletes both locally and internationally came together to support the young and vulnerable athletes in this region. We had to consult with Athletics Kenya to ensure that we give food to the most deserving ones,” said Muia.
He said that they got more support from their Diaspora friends led by Festus Kasyoka Mbuvi based in the USA marshalled other athletes outside the country to donate their foodstuffs back home, which was shared.
“Mbuvi played a key role in ensuring that athletes get what was needed after he managed to bring other diaspora athlatese both retired and active ones together,” said Muia.
Isaac Macharia, who cushioned athletes in Ngong, was also part of the donations when hr contributed 300 masks to the athletes.
“As a region, we are also calling on other athletes across the country to emulate what we are doing. Many athletes need help and if we don’t speak the same voice, majority of them may end up engaging in bad habits, which is a loss to the country especially young athletes who holds the future of this nation,” said Muia.