NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -

There he stands, Mount Kilimanjaro in the background, striking a pose on a purple mat, bathed in the light of dawn. Breathing. Stretching. Opening up his mind -- a group of young children following and copying his every move.

Watching a Maasai warrior practice yoga is a rare sight, but Jacob Parit is not only a warrior in one of Africa's best-known tribes, he's also an instructor with the Africa Yoga Project.

"Yoga will be part of Maasai tradition because the young need to be strong warriors," Parit says. "It is a peaceful thing and it brings people together."

Originating in India, yoga is practiced globally, and is now spreading across Kenya. And it's not only about the practice -- here, yoga is transforming lives, contributing positively to communities and creating jobs.

The catalyst for this yoga boom in Kenya is the Africa Yoga Project. Started in 2007, the non-profit organization is the brainchild of American Paige Elenson.

"I have been teaching Baptiste Power Yoga for about 15 years and I was on a family vacation here in Kenya in 2006. I saw a group of youth doing handstands. I got out of the car and did handstands with them. That day changed my life," explains Elenson, who saw yoga as a way to create jobs for young people in Kenya.

It started as an experiment, mainly in the city slums, to see if it could bring about positive changes and help people to cope with their lives.

Today, the Africa Yoga Projects says it has 71 educated and employed yoga teachers, who earn a living wage. It offers more than 300 free classes every week that are serving around 5,000 people. The project is funded by volunteers and donors and is bringing together people from all walks of life.

Relaxing future warriors

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Kenyan yoga strikes a pose