Runners and supporters gathered on a grassy bank overlooking a field in East Africa

PROJECT ONEKANA · OUR STARTING POINT

The listening phase.

Before building something for athletes, we wanted to hear from athletes themselves. So we started listening.

EARLY FINDINGS · 13 OCTOBER 2026

LISTEN FIRST

The talent is there.
The opportunities aren't always.

Behind every personal best, early morning training session and ambition to compete internationally, there's a story we don't always hear.

A story about the cost of getting to a race. About running shoes that need replacing. About training hard without knowing who might notice. At Project ONEKANA, we believe talent shouldn't remain unseen.

We're not starting with what we think athletes need. We're starting with what they're telling us.

Kenya

Iten & Eldoret

Uganda

Kapchorwa & Bukwo

Tanzania

Moshi

01 — BEHIND THE NUMBERS

Five challenges.
Real lives behind each one.

The cost of showing up

For many runners, participating in a race begins with a financial decision. Registration, transport, accommodation and equipment all cost money, often before an athlete has any opportunity to earn from running. The race itself is only part of the challenge.

Training hard without being seen

Athletes report limited opportunities to race, build connections and document official performances. You can train consistently, improve your times and still struggle to reach the people who could help you take the next step.

The basics aren't always guaranteed

Shoes, nutrition, recovery support and access to coaching appear repeatedly in the responses. These aren't luxuries for athletes. They're part of the foundation required to train safely, consistently and competitively.

Talent without a network

Some athletes describe struggling to find agents, sponsors, supportive teams or the right introductions. Others mention a lack of race results or an athlete profile that would allow someone unfamiliar with them to understand their potential.

Life doesn't stop for running

Family responsibilities, work, injuries and training demands compete for the same limited time and resources. Athletes aren't only managing training schedules. They're also managing everyday life while trying to hold on to their ambitions.

These are shared themes from the responses, not individual portraits or direct quotations from named athletes.

02 — WHAT WE'RE HEARING

The barriers behind the ambition.

Figures refer to answers submitted to each question, not necessarily unique individuals. Athletes could select more than one challenge.

71%

Financial support

61%

Race opportunities

58%

Running shoes

55%

Missing connections

Financial support71%

Race opportunities61%

Running shoes58%

Sponsorship48%

Travel costs42%

Nutrition42%

Recovery support38%

These challenges rarely exist in isolation. Financial pressure can affect an athlete's ability to buy shoes, eat adequately, recover from training and travel to competitions. Missing a race also means missing an opportunity to record an official result and attract attention.

The problem isn't simply a lack of sponsorship. It's a chain of barriers between training, performance, visibility and opportunity.

03 — THE VISIBILITY GAP

Training is only part of the journey.

103 of 119

Want professional support

65 of 106

Never approached

5.2/10

How talent is noticed.

What prevents athletes from being noticed?

Limited race opportunities59%

Lack of connections55%

Lack of funds40%

Lack of visibility27%

Lack of official running times17%

How can talent be discovered if athletes don't have access to the opportunities that allow them to demonstrate it?

04 — WHAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP?

Not assumptions.
Athletes' priorities.

We didn't want to make assumptions about what athletes needed. So we asked what ONEKANA could help with today.

SponsorshipRace opportunitiesTraining resourcesVisibility & exposureVerified performancesCoach connectionsCommunity & networks

Topics from the help question, answered in 105 submissions with multiple selections permitted. No ranking is shown.

Some need someone to help them get to their next race. Some want better training resources. Others need a coach, access to sponsorship or simply a chance to demonstrate their abilities through a verified performance.

The solution can't be one-size-fits-all. It needs to start with understanding the individual athlete.

05 — WHAT WE'RE TAKING FROM THIS

Build with athletes.
Not just for them.

Our listening phase is helping shape three areas of exploration for Project ONEKANA.

Make talent visible

Explore athlete profiles that bring together running achievements, verified performances, personal stories and aspirations in one accessible place.

Create pathways to opportunity

Explore how to connect athletes with races, coaches, potential sponsors and partners, while reducing the information and access gaps athletes have identified.

Keep listening, together

Keep listening, testing ideas and involving runners in deciding what genuinely helps them move forward.

These are directions we're exploring, not services we're claiming to provide already.

JOIN THE JOURNEY

Every athlete has a story.
We're here to listen.

This is only the beginning. Runners across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania: your experience matters. Help us understand what running looks like from where you stand.

Share your running story →

Public findings are shared in aggregate. Identifiable stories will not be published without consent.