Also known as: Dr Odede · Dr. Kennedy Odede · SHOFCO CEO Kennedy Odede · Chief Executive Officer Kennedy Odede · Dr Kennedy Odede · SHOFCO Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr Kennedy Odede
Founder of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), an organization providing safe houses, education, and economic empowerment across Kenya.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
Audio By VocalizeMachakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti tries out a sewing machine at the newly launched Shining Hope for Communities community centre in Machakos, as tailoring instructor Elizabeth Mwendwa guides her, while SHOFCO CEO Kennedy Odede (left) looks on. …
Sacco-led youth credit expands as informal finance fills lending gapCitizen Digital
… Kennedy Odede. PHOTO| FILE Audio By Vocalize Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) has stepped up its efforts to address rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in Nyeri County, training more than 1,000 gender champions and 500 trainers to strengthen prevention and community …
SHOFCO steps us community prevention drive as GBV cases rise in NyeriThe Standard
… Shofco CEO Kennedy Odede said engaging the communities ensured the people get a chance to speak out and find workable solutions."Sustainable solutions to gender-based violence will come when people are empowered to identify harmful practices and speak up,” he said. …
NGO's anti-gender violence drive wins praiseThe Standard
… Shofco founder Kennedy Odede said improved community reporting and closer cooperation with law enforcement and the judiciary have contributed to increased convictions. …
Gender violence cases rise in Nairobi slums despite higher convictionsThe Standard
… Shofco founder Kennedy Odede attributed the convictions to strengthened community reporting systems and closer collaboration with law enforcement and the judiciary. …
NGOs laud conviction of 3,000 cases in gender-based violence warA Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) programme has provided uniforms to 2,911 primary and junior school learners across 12 public schools in informal settlements in Nairobi County, targeting low-income households that struggle to afford school uniforms.
5 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) programme has provided uniforms to 2,911 primary and junior school learners across 12 public schools in informal settlements in Nairobi County, targeting low-income households that struggle to afford school uniforms.
5 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Poverty, culture, and cross-border movement between Kenya and Tanzania expose girls in Migori to female genital mutilation, early marriage, and sexual and gender-based violence. According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, FGM prevalence among the Kuria is estimated at about 84 per cent, compared with 14.8 per cent nationally among women aged 15–49.
22 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Girls in parts of Migori County face increased risks of female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriage due to cross-border movement and gold mining, with the risks particularly pronounced among the Kuria community that lives on both sides of the Kenya-Tanzania border. The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey estimates FGM prevalence among Kuria women aged 15–49 at about 84 per cent, compared with 14.8 per cent nationally.
21 September 2026 · The Standard →
In Meru, female genital mutilation, poverty, and early marriage fuel sexual and gender-based violence, with 1,727 SGBV cases recorded in 2025, up from 1,640 the previous year. SHOFCO has established a safe house to address these interconnected harms affecting girls and women in the county.
8 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Meru County is grappling with rising gender-based violence, recording 1,727 cases of sexual and gender-based violence in 2025, up from 1,640 in 2024, ranking third nationally after Nairobi and Kiambu. Officials attribute the trend to poverty and child neglect, which drive young girls into early marriages, and have launched a 48-bed safe house to provide survivors with shelter, counselling, medical care, legal assistance and economic empowerment services.
8 September 2026 · The Standard →
Access to affordable water from SHOFCO kiosks has enabled women in Kibera to reduce spending on water collection and transport, allowing them to save money for savings groups, children's education, and household needs. One fish trader, Rosemary Akinyi, reduced her water costs from Sh300 to Sh30 per 200 litres, freeing up resources previously spent on costly and unsafe water sources.
28 August 2026 · The Standard →
Rosemary Akinyi, a fish trader in Kibera, now purchases safe water from a SHOFCO kiosk near her home for Ksh.30 per 200 litres, down from Ksh.300 previously, freeing up money for other needs and enabling her to reinvest savings into her business and community.
26 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Judiciary and Children's Department have called for stronger community and institutional action to address sexual and gender-based violence in Bungoma County, where 62 per cent of women have experienced physical violence and 30 per cent have faced sexual violence. Officials cite survivors' lack of access to safe spaces and financial barriers as obstacles to pursuing justice and essential services.
21 August 2026 · The Standard →
Bungoma's judiciary has praised SHOFCO's intervention in supporting sexual and gender-based violence survivors. A mother in the county described how her Form Three daughter's sexual abuse case was compounded by cultural beliefs, including the perpetrator's family suggesting marriage as a "solution."
20 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) has established a 50-bed Gender-Based Violence Safe House in Trans Nzoia County in collaboration with the county government, offering temporary accommodation and support to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
9 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Trans Nzoia County is experiencing rising sexual and gender-based violence cases, with 1,016 recorded in 2025 compared to 991 in 2024. The county has launched a safe house to support survivors and improve prosecution of cases, particularly those complicated by cross-border challenges with Uganda.
7 August 2026 · The Standard →
More than 500 students, 1,500 young people and 1,200 women in Kilifi have received scholarships, skills training and business support through community development programmes run by Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), enabling beneficiaries to secure jobs, start businesses and improve household incomes.
30 July 2026 · The Standard →
Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) has invested more than KSh130 million in Mombasa County on programmes focused on education, youth employment, women's economic empowerment and grassroots development, according to SHOFCO founder Dr. Kennedy Odede.
22 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kilifi County and Shining Hope for Communities launched the 48-bed Kimbilio Safe House in Kilifi North Sub-County on July 14 to provide shelter and support services—including medical care, legal aid, counselling, and economic empowerment programmes—to women and children fleeing gender-based violence. GBV cases reaching courts in Kilifi rose to 1,024 in 2025 from 939 in 2024, reflecting increased demand for survivor support.
18 July 2026 · The Standard →
Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), in partnership with Kilifi County Government, has launched Kimbilio Safe House, a 48-bed facility for survivors of gender-based violence in Kilifi North Sub County. The opening comes as Kilifi recorded 1,024 GBV cases in court in 2025, up from 939 cases in 2024.
17 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) and Kilifi County Government launched Kimbilio Safe House, a 48-bed shelter for gender-based violence survivors in Kilifi North Sub County on July 14, 2026. The facility opens as Kilifi recorded 1,024 GBV cases in court in 2025, up from 939 in 2024.
17 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Shofco Sacco, a community-based non-deposit taking Sacco, won seven awards at Ushirika Day celebrations for governance, financial performance, member services and technology. The Sacco reported membership above 41,000 and growth including a 23 per cent increase in its loan book to KSh633.4 million in 2025.
8 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A national dialogue on GBV protection centres in Nairobi has proposed three pillars to end gender-based violence in Kenya. The initiative highlights the need for integrated safe shelters and survivor services, drawing on the experience of survivors like those supported through SHOFCO safe houses.
29 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) has distributed loans to 539 young entrepreneurs in Meru County through its Sacco, with interest rates of six per cent and 72-hour disbursement without guarantors, as the organisation expands economic empowerment programmes in the region.
9 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Hundreds of young entrepreneurs in Meru County have received loans totalling Sh30 million from Shofco, an NGO, through its sacco wing at an interest rate of six per cent. Governor Isaac Mutuma praised the initiative as part of broader youth empowerment and economic growth efforts in the county.
8 June 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's youth are increasingly turning to savings groups and Sacco-based lending as traditional banks exclude borrowers with limited collateral and informal income. In Machakos, 339 young people have accessed affordable loans and grants through community-based organisations, offering lower interest rates than microfinance institutions.
7 June 2026 · The Standard →
Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) has trained more than 1,000 gender champions and 500 trainers to address rising gender-based violence in Nyeri County, where reported sexual violence cases at public health facilities increased from 335 in 2022 to 512 in 2025.
4 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nyeri County has teamed up with NGOs including Shofco to tackle gender-based violence through community-driven prevention efforts. Sexual violence cases in the county rose from 335 in 2022 to 371 in 2024, and Shofco has trained over 1,000 gender champions and 500 trainers to strengthen prevention and community response mechanisms.
4 June 2026 · The Standard →
Officials report 3,000 gender-based violence cases handled in Nairobi's informal settlements in the first quarter of 2026, including 534 sexual offences, with 18 defilement convictions secured by Shofco and 210 cases pending in courts. The rise in cases reflects both increased prosecution efforts and the persistent scale of sexual violence, with government, non-profits, and private sector efforts intensifying to address the crisis.
11 May 2026 · The Standard →
In the first quarter of 2026, government and NGOs including Shofco handled 3,000 gender-based violence cases in Nairobi's informal settlements, with 534 classified as sexual offences and 18 convictions secured in defilement cases. Officials acknowledged progress but said the scale of the crisis remains a challenge.
10 May 2026 · The Standard →