Reflections from the “Streets for All” Webinar: Why Community is the Heart of Cycling Culture in Nairobi

Paving The Way For Gender-Responsive Non-Motorised Transport in Cities

Our Founder, Cyprine Odada, recently spoke at the “Streets for All: Paving the Way for Gender-Responsive Non-Motorised Transport” webinar—an insightful global discussion that brought together women leaders shaping mobility and transport systems to better serve everyone, especially women and marginalized communities.

The webinar highlighted how walking and cycling—often considered the most basic forms of mobility—are deeply gendered experiences, influenced by safety, time, caregiving responsibilities, and access. It was a space where women from across continents shared not just data and strategies, but lived realities.

Representing Nairobi and talking about her experience leading Critical Mass Nairobi, Cyprine spoke candidly about how community-led planning became the foundation of the cycling movement in Kenya, not by design, but out of necessity and defiance. She described how, when government institutions failed to respond, when international organizations proved too rigid, and when local companies saw no value in cycling, the only option left was to turn to the community.

In her words:

“We were tired of being strung along. Tired of feeling invisible. So we focused on building trust—with people who live, move, and dream in this city.”

She shared how that decision transformed the work—not just growing the number of cyclists, but shifting the narrative entirely. Through consistent presence, transparency, and care, the team built something that people believed in and owned.

From that decision came a clear set of values that would define the movement:honesty, vulnerability, working with what was available, staying grounded in core values, inclusion, and protecting the community both internally and externally.

“We were honest about everything. We didn’t pretend to have it all figured out. We worked with what we had—borrowed bikes, free spaces, volunteers. And because of that, we never had to stop just because funding didn’t come through.”

One of the most profound turning points was the realization that, while rides were growing, women were dropping off. Many came once and never returned.

“So I did a quick survey to understand what was going on. The answers were clear—women felt unsafe, the rides were intimidating, and what they were really looking for was connection, sisterhood, and safety.”

This feedback led to the creation of Kenya Cycling Women, a dedicated space for women to ride at their own pace, ask questions, and grow in confidence without fear of judgment or pressure. Since its founding, the group has organized several intentional, intimate rides, each one reinforcing the need for mobility spaces where women feel seen, supported, and safe

The session was filled with reflections from other women doing similar work across the globe. From Latin America to South Asia, stories echoed with familiar themes: the need for inclusion, the fight against car-centric planning, and the power of women’s leadership in transforming cities.

Cyprine concluded by highlighting the shift that’s already underway in Nairobi:

“Now we don’t have to work so hard to convince people that cycling matters. We have a legion of everyday people—men, women, children—who are defending cycling, asking tough questions, demanding safer streets, and building their own cycling culture.”