Nancy Chiuri, a mother of five and an IT expert, is transforming the way African mothers approach fitness. With her initiative, Mama Fitness Kenya, Chiuri has created a movement that blends wellness with practicality, making fitness accessible to women no matter their circumstances.
Chiuri’s journey began with a simple idea: to help women integrate fitness into their daily lives, especially mothers who often struggle to find time and resources for traditional gym workouts. Recognizing that motherhood can provide its own set of physical challenges, Chiuri turned everyday items like park benches, water bottles, and even her own children into tools for fitness. “Motherhood gives you enough weight to carry sometimes literally,” Chiuri quips, highlighting her unique approach to using what’s at hand.
Her fitness programs are designed to meet women where they are whether at home, in busy neighborhoods, or even in challenging environments like Nairobi’s Langata Women’s Prison, where she worked with incarcerated mothers. For these women, fitness became a way to reclaim control, build resilience, and foster mental well-being, especially in a place that often stripped away their sense of self. Chiuri’s work went beyond just physical exercise, incorporating mental health strategies and fostering community connections.
Through Mama Fitness Kenya, Chiuri has reached marginalized communities, offering wellness workshops in rural and underfunded urban areas. Her approach has earned her respect, as she has found innovative ways to keep women active, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pivoting to online platforms, she hosted virtual sessions that connected thousands of women across Africa, proving that fitness is more than just a physical pursuit it’s a way to build community, share experiences, and support one another.
Chiuri’s influence has extended beyond Kenya, with initiatives in Ethiopia and South Africa, where she tailored postpartum fitness programs to local cultures and resources. Now based in Pretoria, Chiuri continues to expand her reach, envisioning Mama Fitness Kenya as a global movement. Future plans include creating fitness curriculums for schools and launching affordable fitness gear for women of all backgrounds.
Through it all, Chiuri remains grounded in her holistic philosophy—balancing family life, fitness, and community-building. Her belief that “fitness isn’t just about looking good; it’s about feeling good” resonates deeply with the thousands of women who have joined her movement.
