Three-time Olympic champion and 1,500m world record holder Faith Kipyegon has teamed up with Nike to build a maternity wing at Keringet Dispensary in Kuresoi South, Nakuru County, where she was born.
The Sh30 million project, dubbed the Dare to Dream Maternity Wing, will be implemented in phases, with the first phase expected to take six months. The facility will have a 12-bed capacity, with Sh9 million allocated for medical equipment. Once completed, the maternity wing is expected to significantly improve access to maternal health services in an area where long distances, poor road networks, and limited transport options have made emergency care difficult.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday, Kipyegon described the initiative as a deeply personal milestone and a way of giving back to the community that shaped her journey.
“I’m glad to be back where it all began. This is where I was born and raised, and where my running career started. This community believed in me when I was just a young girl running barefoot, and I am happy to give back,” she said.
“No mother should suffer or lose her child simply because medical services are too far away.”
Kipyegon said the idea for the maternity wing was born during her participation in Nike’s “Breaking 4” race at Stade Charléty in Paris last year, where she attempted to become the first woman to run a sub-four-minute mile. Although she narrowly missed the target, clocking 4:06.42, she said the experience inspired her to think about making a lasting impact beyond sport.
“I felt compelled to use my platform and success as an athlete to make a difference in my community. I thank Nike for supporting this vision,” she said, adding that the joy of motherhood is often overshadowed by preventable complications that claim the lives of mothers and newborns.
The multiple world champion also reaffirmed her commitment to continue competing in the 1,500 metres, noting that she may consider moving to longer distances later in her career.
World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge praised Kipyegon’s initiative, describing it as a powerful example of sport for social transformation.
“Champions are not only defined by what they achieve for themselves, but by what they do for others,” Kipchoge said.
Athletics Kenya President, retired General Jackson Tuwei, said Kenyan athletes continue to demonstrate leadership beyond competition by investing in education, health, and community development.
Nike’s Head of Global Running, Tanya Hvidak, said the project reflects the brand’s commitment to advancing women’s wellbeing.
“When women have safe, dignified care in childbirth, entire communities rise up around them. Faith is a champion, a record breaker, and a symbol of what is possible when belief meets discipline,” she said.
Several athletes attended the ceremony, including former world javelin champion Julius Yego and world marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir.
The maternity wing is expected to ease the burden on expectant mothers and mark another milestone in Kipyegon’s growing legacy as both a global athletics icon and a community champion.
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