What our logo means to me

Our mission at Enda is to develop the first ever running shoe that connects the global public to Kenya’s running greatness.

As a Kenyan, the image of a spear — adapted from the Kenyan flag — is the perfect image to represent Enda. The spear appears throughout the history of Kenyan national identity. On the flag, two spears appear behind a shield, signifying defence of the national values that the flag stands for. Our first president, Jomo Kenyatta, adapted his first name “Jomo” from a local word that means “burning spear” and the Elder of the Burning Spear is one of the highest honours that that can be awarded to an individual in Kenya — not unlike knighthood or a presidential commendation.

As you may know, Enda means ‘Go’ in Swahili. To us, the spear is literally a symbol of freedom. It is a direction pointer, telling us to go, to run, to find, to discover, to explore, to be. Enda is all about finding the freedom to being a better version of you, on track and off track. Running is not about winning or punishing your body. Rather, it is a personal journey of willpower and self-discipline, whose sole focus should be about discovering the joy of being a better you.

The spear is also a sign of strength against all odds. It’s a symbol of pride that illuminates the size of the fight in you. A spear, when in motion, is straight, swift and fluid. It is a representation of speed, action and forward progression. Qualities that Enda hopes to emulate.

Earlier this month, we asked people on our mailing list what direction we should go with a logo. To all of you that took your time to give us feedback that helped us in our decision, we would like to say Ahsante (Thank you) again!!