Disabled Kenyan Diaspora Athlete Anne Wafula-Strike is living one of the most accomplished lifestyles ever since she acquired her United Kingdom (UK) citizenship.
She was born in Muhiu, Bungoma County, and her early life story is not a flowery one. Wafula was born a normal kid, but at the age of two something unfortunate happened that changed her life forever. She suffered a polio attack, which would later render her disabled.
But the disability was not the end of her life story. She picked herself up and started scaling heights, focusing on her education. After completing her A-levels and graduating from Moi University with a Bachelor of Education degree, Wafula became a teacher at the Machakos Technical College.
While teaching and focusing on her life, she met a man she would later marry and their union led her to Britain in the early 2000s. That was the beginning of a new chapter.
Four years after relocating to UK, she would embark on a career never taken by many when she ventured into the world of athletics. In 2004, Wafula became the first wheelchair athlete from Sub-Saharan Africa to take part in the Paralympics in Athens.
In 2006, she became a British citizen. That allowed her to join Team GB and kick-started a professional career as a full-time athlete.
In 2007, she was among the delegates who were invited to Buckingham Palace. In 2014, Wafula was officially awarded the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to disability sport and charity work. The recognition is equivalent to what Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford holds.
Imagine from being a teacher to achieving all that. Wafula does not have any regrets about acquiring UK citizenship.
But that’s not all. She was named one of the top 12 influential women of colour in the UK and received a Black Entertainment, Film, and Fashion Award (BEFFTA) for being the most inspirational figure.
Wafula won the UK-Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2004 and has also won the Women for Africa Recognition Award.
To mark Balck History Month in the UK, Wafula was among the six athletes feted in October 2021. She shared the accolades with Lewis Hamilton.
But retiring from athletics. Wafula has been running life-changing initiatives, touching lives in UK and across the world.
She established the Olympic-Wafula Foundation to promote healthy-living solutions among disabled and disadvantaged people.
