Faith Kipyegon at the launch of the Dare to Dream maternity facility (© Global Sports Communication)
Eight years ago, Faith Kipyegon welcomed her daughter, Alyn. That maternity journey to childbirth experience wasn’t just life-changing, it sparked in her heart a dream she couldn’t ignore: to establish a mother and child hospital in her rural hometown of Keringet, to offer mothers dignified and safer births.
Although the now three-time Olympic and five-time world gold medallist could afford high-quality maternal care, she was deeply disturbed by the thought of women who could not.
“I experienced so many things,” said Kipyegon. “I said: ‘If I can experience this yet I'm in a better place where I can go for better health care at the best facilities, what about a mother who is pregnant back at the village?’”
Expectant women from her rural area struggle to access maternal care, walking 35km to receive it.
“When we see what our mothers went through back at home – while growing up in Keringet and actually still today, I see something that breaks my heart,” she added.
“I see women go into labour full of hope, carrying life, carrying dreams, and too many times, they come back empty-handed. Not because they did anything wrong, but because the care they needed was too far away, too limited, or simply not good enough.
“As a mother of Alyn, I want to do this to change the community.”
Since 2018, Kipyegon has achieved great athletics milestones. She has won two Olympic 1500m titles, four world titles in the 1500m and 5000m, and broken world records.
But on 25 January in her village in Ndabibit, she broke a different kind of record; one that goes beyond sport and touches life. Kipyegon took a major step towards realising her dream with the groundbreaking ceremony of the Dare to Dream maternity facility at Immaculate Conception grounds. It was a very special moment for her as a woman, a mother and a daughter of that community.
“This is the happiest thing I've done for my community, which I feel so proud of, because it is something I have been dreaming of – thinking, what can I give to my people?” Kipyegon noted.
“These people take care of me. These people stood by my side. I can't wait to open the real thing.”
Faith Kipyegon during the cross country event in Keringet (© Global Sports Communication)
According to the area Member of County Assembly William Kilamit, the area registers 98 to 120 child births every month, and the one existing facility that is far away is strained.
“The community here doesn't have a hospital where mothers can go for treatment, where they can go for antenatal clinics,” said sister Genevieve Onsarigo. “Even for the time of delivery, they don't have a nearby facility, and for the children when they are sick, they don't have anywhere to go.”
Nationally, as per 2025-2026 data, Kenya’s maternal mortality rate stands at 355 deaths per 100,000 live births, with roughly 5000 to 6000 women dying annually from pregnancy-related complications. For Kipyegon, even one death is still too many.
“One death is losing a champion or a president or a better person in the community,” she said. “That's why I came back home. If we don't do this as a community, we will not get all those people.”
Onsarigo added: “It will help the community at large. People will get treatment, the mothers will have safe deliveries and we will be able to reduce the mortality rate.”
The Dare to Dream maternity facility is a collaborative legacy project by Nike, Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and the Order of Malta.
The commissioning was attended by local leaders, Athletics Kenya officials and, most importantly, members of the community who the facility will serve.
"Women should never have to choose between their dreams and the support they need as mothers,” remarked Tanya Hvizdak, Nike’s Global Head of Running. “You’ve shown us that greatness isn’t only measured in medals or seconds, but in the lives we impact along the way and the future we build for others. This mother and child centre is proof of that.”
On hand to lend their support were fellow athletes, including marathon great Eliud Kipchoge, 2019 world champion Halimah Nakaayi, 2022 Commonwealth 3000m steeplechase champion Jackline Chepkoech and two-time world indoor medallist Augustine Choge, plus coach Richard Metto.
Kipchoge emphasised the importance of using sport to change lives.
“Faith thinking of maternity as a mother is a great and critical issue,” said Kipchoge. “Impact in a society is not being won by breaking records or winning medals or winning races, it is creating an impact which goes directly to the community.”
Nakaayi added: “When it comes to women, we need to empower one another. Faith is such a hard-working woman, and opening a hospital here is such an incredible moment.”
The opening act was Faith Kipyegon’s Kids Cross Country at the Keringet High Altitude Centre, an event which attracted boys and girls competing in 100m, 500m, 1km and 2km races.
All were eager to showcase their talent. Some could barely wait for the start, while others tossed aside their shoes and ran barefoot. It was cheerful, colourful, fun and competitive, awakening the soul of the community and rekindling Kipyegon’s own childhood memories.
“I felt so happy to see kids around, to see them running. It was a little bit emotional,” she said.
Now the 32-year-old cannot wait to see the new facility up and running. It is projected to open in the second half of the year.
Kipyegon isn’t just building walls, she is building possibility, dignity, hope and the future generation, cementing another legacy off the track.
Michelle Katami for World Athletics
