Turning 20: Two Decades of Grassroots Leadership

2024 was a remarkable year for SHOFCO. We celebrated our 20th anniversary while sharpening our focus on community-driven solutions. As Kennedy Odede notes in his opening letter, SHOFCO’s future is not about delivering services to people, but enabling people to drive their own solutions with dignity, agency, and power. From Kibera to 36 counties across Kenya, SHOFCO is walking alongside communities as they claim ownership of their future.

SHOFCO 2024 Annual Report
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Where We Are Now

SHOFCO mobilizes Kenya’s largest network of grassroots social groups, delivering holistic services and empowering citizen-led change. Our priorities guide this work:

  • Community Organizing: Residents collectively articulate aspirations and seek tangible change.
  • Gender Equality: Breaking down barriers for women and marginalized groups to thrive.
  • Health and Wellbeing: Affordable, quality health and education for healthier lives.
  • Economic Opportunity: Building agency, skills, and financial stability for mobility.
  • Community Resilience: Equipping communities to adapt and move beyond survival.

Impact Highlights 2024

Empowering Youth & Economic Inclusion

  • 1.29 million youth engaged in SHOFCO Urban Network forums.
  • 350 trained youth leaders driving civic engagement.
  • 25,920 youth trained in financial literacy; 1,181 youth accessed SACCO loans.
  • 68,712 entrepreneurship trainees (41% transitioned into work).
  • 12,969 direct job placements through partners.
  • 3,614 internships and 2,008 small businesses supported.
  • 31,564 young women empowered through SWEP.
  • 94% progression rate for mentees moving from skill-building to work.

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH)

  • 80% of Kibera households have SHOFCO water within 500m.
  • 31% reduction in diarrheal disease in children under five.
  • Serving 40,000+ residents, 47 schools, and 5 health facilities.
  • Expansion through women-led kiosks and aerial piping systems.

Health & Wellbeing

  • 0% mother-to-child HIV transmission in SHOFCO clinics.
  • 75% reduction in teen pregnancy among clinic clients.
  • 97,200 Kenyans accessed family planning services.
  • 470,105 household members reached by Community Health Promoters.
  • New TB detection and treatment saving lives in Mathare.

Livelihoods

  • 101,000+ youth trained in entrepreneurship, job readiness, and digital literacy.
  • 82% conversion from training to work; over 2,000 now employing others.
  • SWEP expanded income-generating opportunities for women through handmade goods and business support.

Gender Equality

  • 411 GBV survivors housed safely in SHOFCO safe houses.
  • 2,500+ daycare slots supported for women in training and livelihoods programs.
  • Over 862 new gender champions and 319 GBV leaders trained.
  • Landmark court cases fast-tracked, achieving 20- and 30-year convictions for defilement within one week.

Education

  • 2,000 girls supported to remain in school.
  • 90% of SHOFCO education students highly cognitively engaged.
  • Kibera School for Girls and Mathare School for Girls providing free, high-quality education.
  • Alumni like Elizabeth (“The Shirt Off Your Back” campaign) giving back by funding uniforms and food for children in Kibera.

Community Resilience

  • 2 million SHOFCO Urban Network beneficiaries across 75% of Kenya’s counties.
  • Over 23,000 youth forums mobilized, engaging women, refugees, persons with disabilities, and teen mothers.
  • Strengthened partnerships with government, including the Ministry of Education, to integrate SHOFCO’s education expansion model.

In the News

In 2024, Kennedy Odede was named to the TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people, highlighting SHOFCO’s role as a global model for community-led development.