SHOFCO partners with Homa Bay, Kisumu Counties to roll out development programs

In Homa Bay County, the organisation is sponsoring 250 youth in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions who are taking hands-on courses. 

“Our empowerment programs are meant to break the cycle of poverty by providing women and youth with the resources and skills they need to improve their lives,” SHOFCO Founder and CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede said when he met over 500 Shofco Urban Network (SUN) representatives in Homa Bay Town on Thursday. 

SUN is a grassroots movement that brings together individuals and households through social groups, is the key pillar of the organisation that ensures community-driven change is achieved. There are over three million SUN members in Kenya.

Dr. Odede also stated that his organisation will partner with the Homa Bay County Government to ensure that the youth who have undergone TVET training are supported through job placements and financial grants and loans to start their businesses. 

“We do not want to train youth who will come back and stay idle in the society and they already acquired skills. After the training, we will ensure they are supported,” he said. 

Homa Bay County TVET Director Mr. Richard Chege appreciated the organisation’s sponsorship program, saying it has helped students who would otherwise not get an opportunity to study. 

“The youth who would otherwise be idling and involving themselves in illegal activities have been given a chance to learn various skills that can change their lives. This is a noble course by SHOFCO and we are ready to take in more students from SHOFCO as county,” the Director said. 

Homa Bay County Executive Member (CECM) for Education Mr. Martin Operes said the county is ready to partner with SHOFCO in placing TVET trainees as interns at the county. 

“As a county, we support SHOFCO in what it’s doing to help our youth get skills. We cannot do everything as the county government and we welcome organisations like SHOFCO to come and support us in what we do,” Mr. Opere said. 

On Wednesday, February 7, the SHOFCO founder also presided over the opening of a 3-storey resource centre in Manyatta slums in Kisumu County.

The centre will host a school library and various women and youth empowerment programs. 

At the moment, 600 youth and women are undergoing entrepreneurship training and 120 have been enrolled to do tailoring courses in the organisation’s centres in Obunga and Manyatta slums. 

“We also have a new program that will see our vulnerable girls go back to school. Our first-ever program at SHOFCO was a girl school and we now have two schools in Kibera and Mathare slums in Nairobi, supporting over 800 students.

“We want to expand our girl child education across Kenya, and Kisumu County will be among the first beneficiaries,” he said. 

Some 354 youth are currently studying various TVET courses in Kisumu County under SHOFCO sponsorship. 

Dr. Odede also said his organisation will expand its water projects in Kisumu and Homa Bay counties through digging of over 30 water pans in anticipation of March-April rains. 

During his Homa Bay and Kisumu counties’ development tour, Dr. Odede was accompanied by various county and national government representatives who hailed SHOFCO’s development programs as game-changer. 

At the same time, SHOFCO representatives met Vihiga Governor Wilber Ottichilo on Friday, February 9 and discussed various development programs which include job and internship placements for TVET graduates, gender-based violence response and prevention, and farmers’ empowerment in the county. 

“His Excellency Governor Wilber Khasilwa Ottichilo this morning received a courtesy call from a team from SHOFCO, a grassroot movement that brings people together and develops solutions based on the issues affecting them.

“His Excellency commended the organization for focusing on the real vulnerable in the society.He expressed interest in partnering with the organization to train our farmers to move from the traditional growing of Maximize and beans to agribusiness,” the county said in a statement. 

Through its Youth Voice project, SHOFCO seeks to reach over two million youth across Kenya in a five-year program through various courses, including sports, financial access, training, job placements, and mental health sessions.

“Under our Youth Voice program, young people in the informal settlements and semi-urban areas will have access to dignified work by participating in job training and will be connected to employment opportunities, bursaries and financial literacy education.

“Youth entrepreneurs will network and develop partnerships to launch their businesses, and all young people will have access to ongoing mentorship to continue on their journey of economic empowerment,” Dr. Odede stated.