SHOFCO expands grassroots programs with new centres in Kisumu and Siaya
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Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) has opened two new community empowerment centres in Siaya and Kisumu counties, expanding its reach in Nyanza.
The three-storey facilities, located in Gem Sub-County (Siaya) and Kisumu West Sub-County, will provide education, vocational training, gender-based support, youth empowerment and library services to underserved communities.
Speaking during the launch, SHOFCO founder and CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede said the initiative is part of the organisation’s effort to extend dignity-driven development to marginalized populations.
“These centres are more than just buildings. They represent hope for young people, safety for women, and opportunities for families struggling to access basic services,” he said.
Founded in Nairobi’s Kibera settlement, SHOFCO has grown into a national movement with programs in over 36 counties, reaching an estimated 4.1 million people annually. Its model combines direct services—such as health care, education, water and sanitation—with community-driven initiatives in economic empowerment, gender support and youth programs.
The Kisumu centre includes a computer lab for digital learning, vocational workshops, a gender-based violence response unit and youth mentorship spaces. County Executive Committee Member for Education Bovince Ochieng said the project would complement county programs to improve access to learning and life skills.
“This centre will help us break cycles of poverty and exclusion,” he said. Kisumu North West Ward MCA Vincent Jakongo also welcomed the facility, calling it “an answered prayer for many young people” in the area.
In Siaya, the Gem centre will serve as a hub for women-led enterprises, youth training programs, a library and gender response services. West Gem Ward MCA Susan Okwiri described it as “a milestone for rural empowerment,” noting that the region has long lacked investments that directly support local communities.
The new centres follow a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this year between SHOFCO and the Siaya County Government to collaborate in areas including agriculture, health, youth development and gender equity.
SHOFCO has also pledged to expand access to clean water, agricultural inputs and gender-based violence interventions across Nyanza. With the latest projects, the organisation expects to serve more than 400,000 people in Kisumu and Siaya counties.
The Siaya centre brings the total number of SHOFCO facilities in the county to four, complementing those in Ugenya, Bondo and Siaya town. The Kisumu facility is the seventh in the county.
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