How Ali Kleiche Is Raising Vibrations on the West Side 

I interviewed Ali Kleiche, the owner of Mafunzo International Fitness, at the Austin Town Hall Farmers Market on Oct. 16. Kleiche spoke about the origin of his business, his Moroccan roots, and his mission to combine food, fitness, and consciousness to heal the West Side.

I was born in Morocco. I came to the U.S. as a teenager. When I got here, I was just trying to find my place. I went to Harold Washington and graduated from Chicago State. Now, I’m proud to call the West Side home.

My business is called Mafunzo International Fitness. Mafunzo means “the gorilla” in Swahili — one of the main languages spoken across Africa. The gorilla represents strength and resilience, and that’s what I want to bring to our people here.

I combine high-vibrational food — real food that heals — with physical training, boxing, and self-defense to promote wellness in the community. I also mentor youth through gardening, farming, and boxing. You can build all the programs you want, but if the kids don’t eat right, their brains can’t function right. You can put all the money in the world into a community, but if people aren’t eating food that heals and raises their vibration, it won’t change much.

I’ve gone through my own challenges — alcoholism, losing family members — and I learned that the best way to get back up is to eat clean, raise your consciousness, and stay grounded. Once you start doing that, you move differently.

I’ve been running Mafunzo for about four years. I used to work for the Chicago Park District as a boxing instructor. Now I do this full-time. I’ve taken kids from the West Side to state championships in boxing — kids who never thought they’d leave their block. I even took some to Colombia. They met Black people there who looked like them, who embraced them. It changed how they saw the world.

Business is good, but it’s not easy. Cooking healthy food takes time — sourcing ingredients, prepping, cleaning, renting kitchens. But I love it. I make kale salads, beans, cabbage, broccoli — simple food that heals. Olive oil and lemon juice, no heavy dressing.

My dream is to open a brick-and-mortar spot on Chicago Avenue — a place where we can train, eat, and learn together. A clean, positive space for the community.

What I love about the West Side is the energy — the culture, the music, the resilience. Despite all the stereotypes, this place has soul. House music came from here. Dr. King came here in the summer of 1966. The Black Panthers organized here. You can feel the spirit of the people.

I tell the people, ‘Know your history. If you don’t, others will volunteer to tell you who you are.’

Try It Yourself

Mafunzo International Fitness & Kitchen is a 3-in-1 service in which we provide physical training, meal plans and catering, as well as life coaching mentorship. Learn more here.

About ‘The Grind’

From barbers and bakers to tech founders and corner-store owners, The Grind explores how West Side entrepreneurs are redefining what it means to build something lasting. Each installment profiles local innovators whose businesses strengthen the fabric of Austin, North Lawndale, Garfield Park, and beyond — creating jobs, community spaces, and new possibilities. Through their stories, The Culture chronicles not only how people work, but why they keep grinding for the neighborhoods they call home.

If you know a business or social entrepreneur you want us to profile, send us a tip at stories@ourculture.us.