Mary Ngugi and the Women's Athletic Alliance : A Female Empowerment Movement In East Africa

Keeping Track

We talk to Mary Wacera Ngugi, who most recently finished 3rd at the 2021 Boston Marathon, about her start in the sport, how Kenyan camp systems work and her journey to the marathon. You may be surprised to hear who is coaching her now!

We also talk to Mary about her brave and impactful efforts to help women of Kenya find confidence and escape abusive marriages. She recently started the Womens Athletic Alliance as part of the movement that has gained volume in East Africa following the tragic murder of Agnes Tirop by her husband, she was one of the brightest young stars in the womens 10,000m. Mary has always seen the need to change how women are treated as property and told from a young age they don’t matter and to be quiet. She hopes to provide a safe place of support, to celebrate the women athletes as people, provide legal aid and mentoring through the new Program. Many women from around the sports world have offered help and support and we are there behind her too.

Womens Athletic Alliance founder

Follow her here

“The women deserve better. Being married to a person who loves and cares about me, I feel so much that my sisters and the women in Kenya should live a life like that; they should be treated better, they should be loved, they should be cared about and supported-they need the support not the control” -Mary Ngugi