Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Enda, a proudly Kenyan running shoe brand on a mission to be one of the top three running shoe brands globally

Navalayo Osembo is the Co-Founder and CEO of Enda Athletic, Inc. Enda creates original men’s and women’s running footwear and apparel made in Kenya, for sale under its branded name, on both online retail and wholesale to running and athletic retailers. As a made-in-Kenya running shoe, Enda possesses a unique brand and selling point that no existing competitor can match. Navalayo is a graduate of the London School of Economics and has worked internationally, including in the US, UK, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya where she utilizes her diverse skills as an accountant, a lawyer, risk manager, and in international development. She is from a town near Eldoret, Kenya that has produced generations of the world’s greatest distance runners. Prior to creating Enda Athletic Inc., Navalayo started a sports academy in Bungoma, Western Kenya to provide sports proteges from disadvantaged backgrounds access to much-needed professional training without compromising their education. In order to maximize social impact in Kenya through sports, Navalayo teamed up with her Co-Founder to create Enda Athletic Inc., a made-in-Kenya running shoe brand that creates jobs, invests in local communities, and spurs economic development through exports.