When Daniel Ayugi reflects on his past, there’s no filter. “I was lost,” he says simply. “I was young, depressed, and overwhelmed by life. There were days I wished for death. But somehow, I kept waking up—and that became my first step toward healing.”
Today, Daniel is a rising community leader in Nairobi’s Korogocho settlement, empowering youth and persons with disabilities (PWDs) through mentorship, advocacy, and practical support. But his journey began in the shadows, with quiet pain and a longing for change.
In 2018, he found his lifeline in SHOFCO (Shining Hope for Communities), a grassroots movement transforming urban slums through integrated services. “SHOFCO gave me structure and direction,” he says. By 2020, he joined the SUN (SHOFCO Urban Network) committee, and in 2023, he was elected SUN Youth Leader; a position that allowed him to amplify young voices and bring attention to issues often ignored.
Daniel’s motivation runs deep. “I grew up watching PWDs in Korogocho suffer in silence—locked away, excluded, forgotten. I wanted to change that narrative. I wanted them to know they mattered.”
That vision became reality through the Disabled Inclusion Node Association (DINA)—a community-based organisation he leads, supported by SHOFCO and the Mastercard Foundation. With a KES 1.9 million grant, DINA now provides skills training, mentorship, sports programs, and business support to youth and PWDs in Nairobi, Siaya, Mombasa, Homa Bay, and Migori.
The impact is tangible: five young women he trained in fashion design now work at the Export Processing Zone; over 30 youth have accessed SHOFCO SACCO loans; and eight PWDs received grants to start businesses. “We’ve even helped former sex workers transition to dignified jobs,” he shares. “That’s what I’m most proud of—restoring dignity.”
Daniel’s leadership stretches beyond SUN. He supports youth-led initiatives in waste management, poultry farming, and climate adaptation—connecting them with partners and funding opportunities. “When young people realise their ideas are valid, they begin to build real change,” he says.
As for the biggest challenges? “Unemployment, drug abuse, and mental health. That’s why we don’t just give financial aid—we offer mentorship and counselling too.”
Daniel’s story is one of resilience, purpose, and hope. “I’ve become a communicator, a connector, a mentor,” he says. “Real leadership is not walking ahead of people—it’s walking with them.”
His message to Kenya’s youth: “Don’t wait. Use your voice, your story, your network. Build the future now.”
