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The Africa Yoga Project (AYP) is dedicated to delivering the benefits of yoga to East African communities. It empowers over 250,000 Kenyans a year. The teachers collectively reach over 6000 people a week in the 300 free community classes. AYP is present in more than 80 locations throughout the informal settlements of Nairobi, including schools, orphanages, deaf centers, special needs schools, prisons, and HIV/AIDs treatment centers.
The power of yoga
Yoga is a powerful force that supports physical, mental and emotional health through encouraging personal expression, building a strong connection in the community, and inspiring positivity.
“We are dedicated to delivering all that yoga has to offer to the diverse communities of East Africa, while at the same time providing opportunities for members of the global yoga community to participate and contribute,” AYP’s team says.
Some studies suggest that group meditation also improves the behavior of communities.
Building communities
The project’s weekly core activities go beyond yoga practice and meditation: there is also self-exploration through inquiry, performing arts as a vehicle for empowerment, health education (HIV/AIDS), relationship building, and community activism. The classes not only help improve individual physical, mental, and emotional health; they also help bonds throughout the community.
“Individuals are empowered, relationships are forged, communities are healed both emotionally and physically, and new possibilities are seen and made real.”
Creating jobs
The project has trained about 115 Kenyan youth to date. The training helps participants earn their 200-hour yoga teacher training certificates. AYP went on to employ 72 of these trainees, who now teach over 300 free classes a week. There is also the AYP Mentor Program, which connects aspiring Kenyan teachers to people from all over the world. In its first year, the mentor program paired AYP teachers with mentors from the US, Canada, Australia and Europe. During the 12-month program, mentors and mentees have monthly Skype conversations and email each other frequently.
There are many ways to get involved
If you want to help out, there are plenty of ways to contribute. The Ambassador Program provides the opportunity to experience immersion, exchange, and service in Kenya. Ambassadors spread AYP’s mission and raise funds to support it. There is also the Seva Safari – a 10 to 12-day service mission. Volunteers are tasked with creating a sustainable project that meets local needs. In the past, they have helped build schools, latrines, playgrounds, yoga rooms, and train over 200 teachers. You can also help fundraise or donate.
