Key Metrics
46,323
primary healthcare visits
156,098
nutrition screenings
40,213
MCH visits
Impact
SHOFCO’s health program has significantly improved healthcare access in Kibera and Mathare, two of Kenya’s largest informal settlements.
Our facilities are staffed by over a hundred qualified professionals and provide comprehensive and affordable healthcare which includes nutrition, pharmacy, mental health, and radiology services, among others.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our 1,800 Community Health Workers played a crucial role in spreading vital information and setting up free testing and vaccination centers, reaching 1.5 million people across four counties in Kenya.
Today, our clinics are recognized for providing high-quality and affordable healthcare to Kenya’s marginalized communities.
We continue to expand our impact by strengthening local clinics and government healthcare systems, creating opportunities for communities across Kenya to lead healthier and happier lives.
Situation
In Kenya, the inaccessibility and poor quality of health services, along with low uptake rates among vulnerable populations, lead to numerous adverse effects that significantly impact community well-being and quality of life.
Strategies
Our health program began in 2014 when we recognized a critical need for accessible primary healthcare in Gatwekera, which forms part of Kibera. What started as a single clinic has since grown into a network of three clinics across the Kibera and Mathare informal settlements serving thousands with low-cost and high-impact services. Today, we are focused on four key strategies:
- We operate community-based clinics in Kibera and Mathare, two of Kenya’s largest informal settlements, that provide comprehensive, high-quality primary and preventive care with a focus on nutrition, maternal child health, treatment, TB, and HIV/AIDs services.
- We strengthen the health system by supporting public clinics with resources, training, and best practices.
- We mobilize Community Health Promoters to conduct home visits as a part of the SHOFCO Urban Network (SUN) to deliver high-quality health education, support, early disease detection, and prompt referral for care and treatment.
- We offer holistic care to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) survivors and adolescent mothers in our clinics, and connect them to job and skills training, enabling them to secure stable employment or start their own businesses.
- We support communities to install water pans that collect rainwater to sustainably increase access to clean water and reduce the spread of waterborne diseases.
Outcomes
- Kenya’s health infrastructure is strengthened, ensuring access to sustainable, high-quality care.
- Our clinics become benchmarks for primary and preventive healthcare, serving as models for health services nationwide.
- Women and girls, adolescent mothers, and survivors of SGBV receive holistic support to help them lead dignified lives.
- All individuals have the opportunity to live happier and more productive lives, fully participating in a thriving society.
What the Future Holds
We are planning to establish community pharmacies across informal settlements in Nairobi to create greater access to affordable medicines for residents. Additionally, we aim to build partnerships with public facilities at the county level through a health systems strengthening approach with a view to reaching more people.
