How Africa Yoga Project transformed the life of a young single mother in Nairobi, Kenya. Spiritually Fit with Wanji Eliam

Bonus Episode: Guest interview with Wanji! This interview follows episode 39 with Paige Elenson, co-founder of Africa Yoga Project.  Wanji shares her story about AYP transforming and saving her life, as a student then becoming a Certified Baptiste Teacher, and now a Programs Manager for AYP.  She is passionate about sharing yoga and her love of and gratitude for AYP.  Wanji will share about AYP's upcoming global Sweat Serve Share challenge starting November 1, 2020, in which she is one of the teachers leading yoga and meditation.  To join this challenge visit africayogaproject.org.   Wanji chatted with me from her home in Nairobi, Kenya.  Eliam Wanjiku (Wanji), Programs Manager for Africa Yoga Project (AYP), is part of the senior management of the organization, one of its oldest employees and most experienced teachers, and a graduate of the program. Wanji has been part of AYP since her first class in 2009. After that first class she made up her mind that yoga was what she wanted to do with her life. She became a certified Baptiste Yoga Teacher through AYP's 200-hour training and has been teaching yoga for 10 years. She has since completed Baptiste Level 2, Baron Baptiste's Leadership Workshop and numerous other trainings in Kenya, Mexico and the US. She has worn many hats at AYP, working on donor engagement, the mentorship program, coordinating AYP teachers across Africa, managing the Shine Center (AYP's community wellness and yoga center in Nairobi), in marketing and communications as AYP Brand Manager and as Executive Assistant to Paige Elenson, AYP Co-Founder and Executive Director. Wanji's experience as a yoga teacher ranges from free outreach classes in the community where she grew up (Kariobangi, a low-income neighborhood in Nairobi) to private lessons for ambassadors and the UN community in Nairobi. She has attended  Hanuman Festival in Colorado and has taught yoga on 5 AYP fundraising tours at yoga studios across the US. She has led retreats and workshops in Africa and will lead her first retreat in Europe in September. In June she will represent AYP on the organization's first fundraising tour in Europe, teaching at yoga studios across the Netherlands and Belgium. Wanji has experience teaching Baptiste Power Yoga, YOD (Your Own Determination) and pre-natal yoga. She has a diploma in Business Management and certifications in computer skills and disaster management. She is also a trained doula. Wanji's intention as a yoga teacher is to lead practices that are soothing and challenging, according to each student's needs in a given moment. Wanji is leading change by demonstrating the importance of yoga to the world. She believes when we come together to practice yoga it inspires us to share ideas and release stress.