By Violet Auma || violetmedia8@gmail.com
In the heart of Western Kenya, where school fields echo with the sounds of aspiring athletes, a new chapter is unfolding, one that fuses environmental science with sports development.
Kakamega High School has joined a national initiative that uses air quality monitoring to protect young talents from the silent threat of pollution.
Spearheaded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Africa, and Athletics Kenya, this effort aims to ensure that as athletes train for excellence, the air they breathe fuels rather than hinders their dreams.
Every year, approximately one million people globally die due to air pollution, with about 19,000 deaths recorded in Kenya alone.
For young athletes, poor air quality can severely impact respiratory health, stamina, and overall performance.
Recognizing this, UNEP and SEI Africa have partnered with Athletics Kenya to install air quality monitors in schools known for nurturing sports talent, including Kakamega High School, Maseno School, St. Patrick’s Iten, and Kwanthanze High School in Machakos.
At the launch event held at Kakamega High School, Ambassador Gertrude Angote, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UNEP and UNON, emphasized the importance of clean air in sustaining not just health but national goals in sports and education.
“As a country, we are choking on waste,” she said, urging Kenyans to become champions of environmental protection through better waste management, recycling, and clean energy use.
Philip Osano, Centre Director of SEI Africa, noted that although Kenya has implemented several environmental policies including the Environmental Management and Coordination Act and recently passed air quality regulations much remains to be done.
“The monitors will help us collect real-time data on pollutants such as fine particulate matter, which has direct implications on respiratory health,” he said.
Athletics Kenya, through its Communications and Sustainability Officer Maxwell Nyamu, echoed the importance of clean air for athletes.
“For runners, air is their fuel. Ensuring clean air is critical for peak performance,” he said.
Nyamu also highlighted that this initiative aligns with World Athletics’ sustainability goals and will contribute toward both national and international environmental targets.
Lurambi MP Titus Khamala, present at the event, raised concerns over the widespread planting of eucalyptus trees, which deplete water sources.
He called on authorities to promote indigenous species and protect wetlands to preserve Kenya’s natural resources for future generations.
By placing air quality monitors in schools, the initiative not only safeguards the health of student-athletes but also instills a culture of environmental stewardship.
Students, teachers, and surrounding communities gain access to critical data that can prompt timely interventions by government bodies like NEMA.
With Kenya aiming to plant 15 billion trees in the next decade and deepen its climate resilience efforts, the collaboration between UNEP, SEI Africa, and Athletics Kenya marks a powerful stride.
It signals a future where clean air becomes a key ingredient in sporting excellence, academic success, and community well-being.
