Kenya's Kennedy Odede among honorees for prestigious TIME100 Impact Awards

The recognition celebrates Odede's leadership and the transformative impact of SHOFCO's community-driven initiatives in Kenya, with the organisation acknowledged as the standard for global Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

Taking to X, Odede expressed that he was honored to be recognized as a 2023 TIME100 Impact Award Africa honoree.

“Grateful for the acknowledgment of @hope2shine impactful initiatives dedicated to serving underprivileged communities in Kenya,” he said.

Jessica Sibley, Time CEO, expressed admiration for the remarkable accomplishments of the 2023 TIME100 Impact Awards Africa honorees.

“We are honored to recognise the inaugural class of 2023 TIME100 Impact Awards Africa honorees for their remarkable accomplishments,” Sibley said in a post on X on Friday, November 10.

Scheduled for November 17 in Kigali, Rwanda, Odede will be celebrated alongside leaders driving positive change globally. 

Notable figures nominated alongside Odede for the award include UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Danai Gurira, actress and humanitarian Ashley Judd, and Sherrie Silver, founder of the Sherrie Silver Foundation and The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Advocate for Rural Youth. 

The roster also includes former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Fred Swaniker, founder of the African Leadership Group.

This recognition comes on the heels of Elizabeth Wathuti's inclusion in TIME magazine's 2022 TIME100 Next list, where the environmental activist was lauded for her efforts to foster an environmentally-conscious generation. 

Wathuti, who received her Time100 Impact Award in Singapore in September 2023, planted 30,000 trees in Kenya through her initiative founded in 2016.