A landmark creative initiative kicks off in Kenya to empower local creators, elevate the athlete ecosystem, and bring authentic African narratives to the global stage.
Global sports brand On and Rolling Stone Africa announced a landmark partnership with the launch of Voices in Motion: Premiumizing and Democratizing Storytelling. This ambitious initiative is designed to empower the next generation of African writers, digital storytellers, photographers, videographers, and art directors, creating a transformative ripple effect across the region’s broader creative ecosystem.
More than a sponsorship, Voices in Motion represents a shared commitment to investing in Africa’s creative future. For centuries, storytelling has been one of the continent’s greatest strengths— carrying knowledge, victories, and culture across generations. Today, a new wave of creators is shaping how Africa is understood by the world. However, while talent is universal, opportunity is not. Countless young creatives possess extraordinary potential but remain excluded from the networks, mentorship, and resources necessary to thrive.
Voices in Motion was created to bridge this gap. Through the program, 50 young creatives from Kenya and across Africa will receive access to professional training, elite mentorship, industry exposure, and real-world opportunities designed to help them build sustainable careers in creative media.
While the initiative is designed to expand across the African continent in the years ahead, it has officially launched in Kenya. Kenya serves as a particularly meaningful home for this initiative. For generations, Kenyan athletes have inspired the world through extraordinary performances that transcend sport. From Olympic podiums to world-record-breaking achievements, Kenyan excellence has demonstrated the power of perseverance, discipline, and belief.
Voices in Motion applies a simple philosophy to storytelling: every great athlete deserves a great storyteller — local creators capable of documenting their journey, preserving it, sharing it, and protecting its truth.
“At On, we talk a lot about ‘The Spirit of the Run.’ But if you want to know what that truly looks like, you don’t look at a lab in Zurich. You look at the red clay paths of the Rift Valley. You look at the vibrant energy of the streets of Nairobi,” said Bianca Pestalozzi-Houchangnia, EMEA GM at On.
“For too long, the world has consumed the success of Kenyan athletes through a narrow lens. We see the medals; we see the finish lines; but we rarely see the soul behind the stride. When we looked at the media landscape, we saw a scarcity of high-caliber, premium production that was actually owned and authored by local creators. The world was telling Kenya’s story, but Kenya wasn’t the one holding the camera. By merging On’s innovation in performance with Rolling Stone’s legendary cultural authority, we are launching Voices in Motion to revolutionize how the African athlete’s story is told on the global stage. We are not here to tell stories for you. We are here to build the stage so you can tell your stories to the world.”
The partnership unites two global forces under a shared belief that sport, at its core, is storytelling in motion. Every race, victory, and setback carries a narrative capable of inspiring generations.
“Across Africa, we have extraordinary athletes whose achievements inspire millions, yet many of their journeys remain unseen,” said Navalayo Osembo, Director of Africa at On. “Through Voices in Motion, we are creating pathways for young creators to develop the skills, networks, and opportunities needed to tell these stories authentically and powerfully. We believe that the future of sports storytelling in Africa should be shaped by Africans themselves. I therefore encourage young Kenyans in the creative ecosystem to put in their applications and shape the future of storytelling with us.”
“At Rolling Stone Africa, we firmly believe that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. Across our continent, there are young writers, photographers, videographers, art directors, and storytellers whose talent rivals the very best in the world. What many of them lack is not creativity, ambition, or vision, it is access. Access to mentorship, to training, to professional networks; and to opportunities that can transform potential into purpose and passion into a profession. Voices in Motion was created to help close that gap.
For us, this initiative is about much more than storytelling. It is about creating pathways and opening doors that have too often remained closed. It is about investing in a generation of African creatives and giving them the tools, confidence, and opportunities to compete on the global stage while remaining deeply rooted in their own communities and cultures.
Through this partnership with On, we are investing in the people who will document Africa’s greatest sporting moments, amplify its cultural influence, and shape how the world sees our
continent for generations to come,” said Gwen Madiba, Editor in Chief at Rolling Stone Africa.
“We understand the power of storytelling. Long before books, newspapers, television, or social media, storytelling was how our history was preserved, how knowledge was passed on, and how our truths survived. Today, that responsibility belongs to a new generation of creators.
In partnership with On, we are not simply helping young people tell stories; we are helping them build careers, expand their horizons, and discover possibilities they may never have imagined for themselves. One of the very reason we founded MWANKOM + was to create opportunities for talented young creatives in Africa to learn from industry leaders, gain real-world experience, and contribute meaningfully to the stories that shape sport, culture, and
society.” said David Romuald Bellegarde-Smerald,a Founder of MWANKOM + / CEO of
Rolling Stone Africa.
To turn this vision into reality, the Voices in Motion framework is built on three core strategic pillars:
The 360 Athlete: Moving away from treating athletes purely as “performance stats” or as a monolith. The program aims to position athletes as holistic cultural icons— incorporating their music, their communities, and their unique personal influence to grow their careers and inspire everyday runners.
Empowerment through Action: Delivering premium content by directly empowering local talent. The initiative will feature an intensive masterclass workshop for 50 young Kenyan photographers, videographers, editors, and storytellers. Together with Rolling Stone Africa, the program provides them with the professional tools and global editorial standards to turn their vision into premium media.
The On-the-Ground Content Engine: Beyond the classroom, the initiative will provide practical opportunities for these 50 young creatives to deploy their skills directly within the athlete ecosystem in Kenya. This ensures that content surrounding Kenyan running culture remains authentic, locally led, and world-class.
Application Details & Creative Categories
Voices in Motion is actively seeking visionary African creators aged 18-30, who are pushing boundaries and redefining narratives within their respective fields. The program is open to submissions from:
Digital Storytellers & Writers: Narrative changemakers crafting compelling written and digital stories.
Photographers & Videographers: Visual artists capturing the essence of movement, culture, and human emotion.
Art Directors: Creative visionaries capable of shaping the aesthetic and conceptual direction of global-standard campaigns.
How to Apply
Submission Platform: Prospective applicants can find comprehensive program specifics and submission guidelines directly on the official Rolling Stone Africa website.
Deadline: All applications must be submitted on or before July 7th, 2026.
About Rolling Stone Africa
Rolling Stone Africa is the continental edition of the iconic global media brand, dedicated to celebrating and amplifying African culture, music, sport, fashion, creativity, innovation, and social impact. Through world-class journalism and storytelling, Rolling Stone Africa builds bridges between Africa and the world while showcasing the continent’s excellence, talent, and influence.
About On
On was born in the Swiss Alps in 2010 with the mission to ignite the human spirit through movement – a mission that still guides the brand today. Sixteen years after market launch, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor, training, all-day activities and tennis. On’s award-winning CloudTec® and LightSpray™ innovation, purposeful design and groundbreaking strides within the circular economy have attracted a fast-growing global fan base – inspiring humans to explore, discover and Dream On.
On is present in more than 80 countries globally and engages with a digital community on www.on.com.