Isaiah’s Foundation

In Part 1, I mentioned Isaiah Kosgei. He is the man I met over a chai tea. I quickly ended up chatting to him for hours.

Isaiah told me his story.

His passion is clear: bringing the running community together to raise money for education across Kenya. It is this drive that led him to found Kosgei Walpole Foundation in 2014. After a successful marathon career that took him around the world, achieving a personal best of 2:09:21 (!), Isaiah is now a non-professional athlete who uses community support for running to raise money for children’s education.

A trip through the peep hole

I met Isaiah at 9am for a chai at the favourite local spot.

Chai provided the morning caffeine boost before we hitchhiked our way to Eldoret. The mission? To buy learning materials for the children we were going to see that day.

Isaiah was taking me on one of his day trips to visit the children he had sponsored through his Foundation. He is a man with a strong belief in faith. The epitome of the phrase, “where there is will there is a way.”

It was quite clear to me, as we were stopped by teachers, passers by, people within the matatu, that Isaiah was known not only for his running, but for his desire to support young people in the community.

Having collected all of the boxes of learning materials to distribute on the day, we rode the matatu (public minibus). Today we targeted Jevic Shuttle, the most luxury matatu – top tier, I would say.

Wifi – got it.

A whole seat – got it.

Music not too loud – got it.

Fresh air in the windows – got it.

Isaiah pulled out a chocolate biscuit and coca cola for me, he was evidently well prepared for a day like today and knew exactly what was going to be needed by the afternoon.

Funding laboratories, workshops and school fees

Isaiah budgeted 25,000 Kenyan Shillings (Ksh) to send one child to a public school for a year. This decreased slightly the following years as (hopefully) there is less upfront costs. These costs provide full uniform, learning materials and lunches.

For a private boarding school, it is estimated to cost around 45,000 Ksh including mattress, uniform, materials and food. He also sends a couple of children to driving school for 15,000 Ksh each and sponsors 3 young athletes.

We stopped by Isaiah’s home to see the animals and his wonderful wife, Betty for chai and food.

The next part of our trip: Sergoit and the infamous St. Patrick’s High School, the educational home to many world champions.

St Patrick’s is Isaiah’s former school and also the school where he has built a huge laboratory to support students’ science learning. Science is one of the most important subjects for the children to learn, Isaiah told me. It was an impressive four room building kitted out for science tests and learning.

‘The power of a marathon, the power of running’ (Isaiah Kosgei).

Circularity through running: Raising 1.5M over 60km

We were on our way to one of the schools that a few of the sponsored children attended. Isaiah was dropping off learning materials for the start of term.

We were bouncing around on a Boda (motorbike). Our driver told Isaiah that he also drove the photographer who shot Isaiah’s 60km sponsored run in Kenya. It was this 60km run that helped him raise over 1.5 million Ksh to fund the technical workshop at a local boarding school. Two children supported by the foundation are enrolled there.

This adds to the two laboratories the Foundation already funded at the local primary school. I was starting to see the gravity of the impact that Isaiah had on the Eldoret County.

Calling continues

One second.

Isaiah’s phone rang again.

Several times a day his phone rings, people alerting him to young children who were not in school. It was usually young girls speaking up, saying, “we need to go to school.”

Sometimes the calls come from parents, sometimes the calls are from members of the community aware of a difficult situation, sometimes he receives calls from the children themselves.

Through running, Isaiah is empowering young people across Kenya. So far in 2026, he has sponsored the education of over 50 children.

One trip to one school

We reached the boarding school and checked the progress of the workshops that are under construction.

We also met the first child that Isaiah’s Foundation has sponsored. She had been supported for 10 years and has no support network in her life. Boarding school had given her a home, safety, food and education.

While we were there, Isaiah’s speech forcefully stressed for all the children to believe, to have hope and to work hard. There was power in his words. He shared his love, god’s blessings, and stood as a motivator and inspiration for the circa 400 children he was addressing.

There was a loud applause during his speech.

Final stop

At our final stop, a primary school close to Isaiah’s family home, we met 4 young girls. 

All excited by the learning materials that they were being given and eager to hear the inspirational speech from Isaiah. All of their pens for the year, their school books, their sharpeners, pencils, paper and even some extra for the principal, who was the first female teacher in the area.

Seeing the smiles and the joy in the eyes of the girls when they saw Isaiah was incredible.

I was staring at a blank piece of wall determined not to cry.

I could feel the appreciation in the air.

Words do not need to be said here.

Actions. Belief. Discipline.

This is what running creates.

This is what the community here comes together to create.

Our trips for the day were done.

8 children with learning materials for the school year.

School fees paid.

One child newly enrolled into school with school uniform.

Can you visit us next?

As we left for the matatu station, a teacher asked Isaiah if he could give a motivational speech to the children. He agreed but needed to check his schedule first.

He seemed to always have time.

Between matatu rides and boda rides and seeing children and treating athletes as a physio and traveling back to the US and racing across the world and saying hello to everyone around and…. making jokes to lighten the actions and buying school uniform and assessing children’s situations and checking up on school reports and delivering updates to donors and visiting schools and training…

Yes, he would be there at the school for a motivational talk.

His three months in his hometown is focused on bringing the community together, using running and movement to make a difference and to encourage everyone to support each other.

Reflecting on missing secondary education and how it affected his confidence, he is dedicated to helping young people overcome similar challenges.

You can read more about the Kosgei Walpole Foundation here.