Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), the grassroots organisation founded by Kennedy Odede, has launched a new Community Resource Centre in Lela, Kisumu West, in a move designed to strengthen local access to education, enterprise and social space.
The centre includes a library, a social hall for youth organising and a women’s empowerment wing fitted with tailoring machines to support income-generating activities. SHOFCO said the facility reflects its vision of communities as equal partners in shaping development rather than passive recipients of aid.
Odede, who grew up in Nairobi’s Kibera settlement before establishing SHOFCO in 2004, described the centre as a “space for hope and shared prosperity.” He argued that durable change in Kenya must be built from the ground up, with grassroots actors steering priorities.
The new hub also signals the widening footprint of SHOFCO, which has largely been known for its work in urban informal settlements. Its expansion into Kisumu West suggests a shift towards a broader national presence, with Odede intent on embedding the organisation’s community-driven model across counties.
For local residents, the project arrives at a time of economic strain, with youth unemployment and limited opportunities for women still acute. The promise of access to vocational tools, a safe gathering space, and a stocked library has been welcomed as a tangible investment in skills and confidence.
Critics of non-governmental interventions in rural Kenya often point to issues of sustainability once donor interest fades. SHOFCO insists its model is different, relying on grassroots leadership structures to ensure continuity.
As political debate in Kenya intensifies over inclusivity and social justice, initiatives such as SHOFCO’s Kisumu West hub serve as a reminder that national conversations are lived out most vividly in local communities.
