This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
As COVID-19 continues to spread, Gor Mahia's most famous fan, Jared Abong'o, aka Jaro Soja, has found a new way to channel his passion for the football club. The avid fan has shifted his focus from creating branded attire and memorabilia to manufacturing face masks.
According to Jaro Soja, the decision to venture into face mask production was driven by the need to help combat the spread of COVID-19 and provide for his family. Speaking to Nairobi News on April 21, 2020, he said, "We can no longer go to the stadium as Gor Mahia fans. So I came up with the idea of making the face masks for Gor Mahia fans with a clear message 'Stop Covid-19'".
The face masks, which are available at Sh150 each, are branded with the football club's official green and white colours and logo. They are a critical tool in the fight against the deadly airborne virus, and President Uhuru Kenyatta recently ordered that every road user should wear one.
Kenya had by Monday recorded 281 coronavirus cases, with 69 recoveries and 14 deaths. Jaro Soja's face masks are a testament to the innovative ways in which individuals are responding to the pandemic.
