Location
Kisumu, KENYA
Grantee
Green Interventions for Sustainable Towns (GIST) Kenya
Project
Powered by Plants
Green Interventions for Sustainable Towns (GIST) Kenya
Green Interventions for Sustainable Towns (GIST) Kenya is an organization based in Kisumu working at the intersection of health, animal welfare, and climate action. In Kisumu’s fitness community, the belief that strength depends on meat, eggs, and milk has long gone unquestioned. GIST Kenya chose to engage that belief where it runs deepest, working with the trainers, athletes, and gym owners whom others look to for guidance on health and performance. Through its Powered by Plants initiative, the organization equips these local role models to share practical, science-based information on plant-based protein, linking everyday food choices to personal health, animal welfare, and climate-smart food systems. Led on the ground by Program and Partnerships Manager Emmanuel Kiyaka, GIST Kenya is now formalizing a Powered by Plants Champions Network to carry the work forward.
What the seed grant made possible
10000+
people directly reached with practical information on plant-based nutrition
10
local fitness role models trained as plant-based nutrition champions
1
documentary produced on the Powered by Plants journey
1
travel grant to share the model at the AVA Summit in Ghana
The project
- The grant trained 10 fitness role models, including trainers, athletes, gym owners, wellness advocates, and youth influencers, to speak confidently about plant-based protein and sustainable diets.
- Champions shared the message through fitness events, webinars, podcasts, digital campaigns, and live cooking demonstrations featuring affordable, locally available plant proteins.
- Reach was counted through attendance records, registration lists, and digital analytics, with duplicates reviewed to avoid double counting.
- Next steps include formalizing the Powered by Plants Champions Network, launching a community knowledge toolkit and an advocacy toolkit, and expanding through community radio, a dedicated podcast, and fitness festivals with a low-cost ticketing model.
GIST Kenya is helping Kisumu’s fitness community show that strength and performance do not depend on animal-source proteins. With TPP support, the organization trained 10 local fitness champions who reached more than 10,000 people through events, digital campaigns, and cooking demonstrations built around affordable plant proteins. As trust in these familiar voices grew, community conversations widened from personal fitness to One Health, food security, and more compassionate, climate-smart food systems, and the Powered by Plants model was shared with advocates at the AVA Summit in Ghana.