Boxing is transforming the lives of youth in Kibra, Nairobi’s largest slum regarded as Africa’s largest informal settlement.
The combat sport has provided a powerful alternative to crime, drugs and poverty while creating pathways to international fame and employment for the youth.
Three such young boxers are 16-year-old Africa Youth Games flyweight bronze medallist Clinton Omondi aka Canelo, rising female southpaw star boxer Ellah Demesi and featherweight Phelix Ochieng, both 17 years now. They’re all products of Ndondi Mashinani (grassroots boxing) initiative, the brainchild of Boxing Federation of Kenya.
The three young *Africa’s Emerging Stars* are the pride of Mashimoni in Kibra slums following their participation in the African Youth Games last year in Angola where Omondi and Sonia Atieno from Nyalenda slums in Kisumu won bronze medals.
Very few people in the slums have flown out of Kenya but through boxing, their coach Edward Ogweno aka Dimbuts jokingly says they flew before him.”I’ve never seen the inside of an aeroplane myself but Ella, Omondi and Ochieng have beaten me,” quips Ogweno.
They’re are now the inspiration of Kibra Youth some of whom have joined their club, Kibra Youth, eager to fly out of Kenya too.
The three plus other youth in Mashimoni all look upon their senior compatriot Africa Zone 3 featherweight bronze medallist Paul Omondi who overcame adversity to punch his way to the national team, and at the Men’s World Championships in Dubai he made it to the pre-quarterfinals. As if that’s not enough, Omondi, who rose from Kibera Youth Boxing Club under the magical hands of mbuta-eating coach Ogweno, has now been employed by the Kenya Police through boxing.
📷Top left Clinton Omondi. Below Ellah Demesi, Phelix Ochieng and Omondi aka Canelo and far right Kibra Youth Boxing Club coach Edward Ogweno aka Dimbuts outside their dimly-lit iron sheets Gym.
More on the slum boxers and their club coming soon in boxersworld.co.ke
