Opportunity and inclusion for visually impaired Kenyan students

by Grace Kiraguri

Recognizing that standard balls excluded individuals with visual impairments—and inspired by the achievements of Paralympic gold medalist Henry Wanyoike—Alive & Kicking set out to innovate and manufacture balls that meet the needs of the visually impaired. This initiative began a few years ago, but due to limited resources, we were unable to make these specialized balls widely accessible to visually impaired students across many Kenyan schools. Now, thanks to a transformative grant, what once seemed impossible is finally becoming a reality.

Established in 2004, Alive and Kicking is Africa's only not-for-profit sports ball manufacturer. Our mission is threefold: to create ethical employment opportunities, promote health education through sport, and provide access to quality sports equipment. By hand-stitching over 600,000 balls in Kenya, we have not only supported play but also empowered communities economically.

Alive and Kicking team – Hand-stitching balls at the factory

Our approach is holistic. We employ adults from vulnerable job groups, providing them with sustainable livelihoods. We ensure that children facing disadvantages are given access to sport through our inclusive programs. We also empower young people to live healthy lives through innovative health education initiatives.

Recognizing the barriers faced by visually impaired children, we began hand-stitching the Sound Ball—an innovative football embedded with rattles that produce sound as the ball moves. This unique design empowers visually impaired players to track and engage with the ball, promoting both independence and confidence on the field. The Sound Ball is more than just a piece of equipment; it’s a powerful symbol of inclusion. It reflects our unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child, regardless of ability, can experience the joy, freedom, and developmental benefits of play.

"Tucheze Pia": Bridging the Accessibility Gap

In Kenya, the lack of inclusive tools and equipment affects millions of visually impaired citizens. Latest statistics show that approximately 3.9 million Kenyans experience vision loss, with 290,000 classified as blind. Among school-aged children, 86,000 suffer from uncorrected vision issues, hindering their educational and social development.

This, coupled with low awareness and limited resources, means many visually impaired children are excluded from sports—an essential component of holistic education and development—as traditional equipment does not cater to their needs.

Alive and Kicking Kenya launched Tucheze Pia on 17th April 2025, an initiative aimed at transforming the sports landscape for over 4,000 visually impaired (VI) children across 84 schools in Kenya. Tucheze Pia will bridge the accessibility gap in sports by availing Sound Balls and Goal Balls to these institutions.

The Sound Ball—hand-stitched at Alive and Kicking—is a specially designed ball embedded with bells and rattles that make a sound while in motion. We have improved the sound quality and increased production, creating a higher-quality ball aimed at expanding access for more visually impaired learners to participate in sports.

At the heart of the initiative lies a simple yet powerful belief: every child has the right to play. Yet for thousands of visually impaired learners across the country, the playground has remained “silent” for too long. Now, with the launch of Tucheze Pia, that silence is being replaced by sound—quite literally. This initiative supports the government’s efforts to increase access to play in all learning institutions.

“Inclusive education extends beyond academics; it encompasses every facet of a child's development, including physical activity, ensuring that every child, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to participate fully in a holistic and rewarding school life,” said Fred Haga.

Grace Kiraguri, Board Director of Alive and Kicking Kenya, with Mr. Fred Haga, Director of Special Needs Education at the Ministry of Education during the launch of Tucheze Pia.

This initiative also underscores the social enterprise model of Alive and Kicking, with our workforce hand-stitching all the Sound Balls (creating jobs) and distributing them to 84 schools across Kenya, thereby creating access to play.

Additionally, the program includes provisions to import Goal Balls and supply them to all 84 institutions. This will enable the teaching of Goal Ball to many more students. The initiative is designed to support a diverse community of innovators who are pioneering impactful approaches to sport for sustainability. In collaboration with the Kenya Sports Association for the Visually Impaired (KESAVI), Alive and Kicking will deliver teacher training workshops to equip educators with techniques for using both types of balls.

Looking forward, Tucheze Pia aims to create a sustainable model for inclusive sports education. This includes developing a Best Practice Manual that will serve as a national resource for educators and promote the holistic integration of visually impaired students into all aspects of school life.

Without inclusive tools, sports for the visually impaired are significantly limited. Tucheze Pia seeks to change this by opening up space for competition, fitness, and inclusivity. The program was launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Education's Special Needs Education Directorate.

The Tucheze Pia dream has been made possible through partnerships with the Olympism365 Innovation Hub and On’s Right to Run program. These collaborations have enabled us to enhance the quality of our Sound Balls and expand our reach.

The Olympism365 Innovation Hub—a collaboration between the International Olympic Committee, Beyond Sport, and Women Win—supports innovators leading impactful approaches to sport for sustainable development. Through a multimillion-dollar investment, the hub aims to benefit thousands of people and communities worldwide by 2026.

On’s Right to Run program, our other corporate partner, empowers organizations to protect and preserve their community’s fundamental right to run and move. Their support has been instrumental in advancing our mission to create inclusive sports opportunities for visually impaired children.

Henry Wanyoike, one of Kenya’s celebrated Paralympians and a two-time Paralympic gold medalist, also serves as Ambassador of Alive and Kicking’s Blind Football Campaign. He was present at the launch of Tucheze Pia.

Looking ahead, we aim to further strengthen the sustainability of inclusive sports education. This includes developing a Best Practice Manual, providing mobility tools and Braille materials, and increasing participation in national Special Needs Education Sports Games.

Our goal is to ensure that inclusive play becomes the standard—not the exception. By fostering partnerships, raising awareness, and providing resources, we can create a more inclusive, empowered, and united Kenya.

Bhaveet Chudasama, Vice Chairman of the Kenya Paralympics National Committee, was joined by Dorcas Mbaka (holding the Goal Ball) from the Ministry of Education, Henry Wanyoike, Charles Nguru, President of the Kenya Sports Association for the Visually Impaired, and Martin Barnard, Board Director at Alive and Kicking.

For more information or to support our initiatives, visit Alive and Kicking

About the author

Grace Kiraguri is a Board Member and Director at Alive and Kicking Kenya and Exchange Alumna of the Global Sports Mentoring Program (2012).