Some 1,544 girls among them teen mothers have a reason to smile after Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) offered them full scholarship to complete their high school education.
The students, drawn from various sub counties in Nairobi, are from low-income families and have shown exceptional academic promise and determination despite financial hardship.
Speaking during the scholarship launch, SHOFCO Founder and CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede, emphasized his organization’s belief in the power of education to transform lives.
“Education should never be a privilege. It should be a right. These young minds have shown incredible strength and resilience in the face of adversity.
“Today, we’re not just awarding scholarships, we’re investing in future leaders, scientists, teachers, and changemakers,” Dr. Odede said.
The SHOFCO boss said his organization has given out more than 4,000 girl sponsorships in Nairobi alone this year.
“Our high school scholarships target needy but bright girls who have dropped out of school or struggling to pay schools. Among the beneficiaries of our scholarships today, are 159 teen mothers who have gotten a second chance to better their lives,” he stated.
One of the scholars, 15-year-old Michelle Omondi from Pangani Girls, shared her story during the event.
“There were times I thought I’d have to drop out and start working to support my family. This scholarship means everything to me. It’s not just money, it’s hope,” Michelle said, visibly emotional.
Parents and guardians were also present, some with tears in their eyes as they watched their children receive their scholarships on stage.
Maureen Isinga, a parent of a student at Huruma Girls, said her daughter had a lot of school fees arrears and SHOFCO cleared them.
“SHOFCO has not only paid my daughter’s school fees, but it also cleared existing arrears that had threatened to paralyse my child’s education.
“SHOFCO is godsend and I really appreciate what the organization has done for me. I will now concentrate on looking for school fees for my other two children,” Isinga said.
The organization is targeting to reach 11,000 vulnerable girls with scholarships across Kenya. SHOFCO’s approach to community development is holistic, addressing multiple dimensions of poverty and inequality to create lasting change. Its programs focus on education, healthcare, water and sanitation, economic empowerment, community mobilization, and youth development, all aimed at improving the well-being and opportunities of residents in urban slums and rural areas.
Under its education program, SHOFCO also runs two schools, Kibera School for Girls and Mathare School for Girls, serving a student population of 580.
Students receive full sponsorship from grades one through eight and access vital services such as healthcare and water for themselves and their families.
SHOFCO pioneered aerial water piping systems in Kibera to prevent vandalism and theft of pipes, reducing water contamination.
These pipes terminate at 57 water kiosks in Kibera and Mathare slums, serving over 200,000 residents daily.
The organization also provides water to 47 schools and five health centers in Kibera and Lang’ata sub-counties free of charge. It operates three Level 3 health centers in Kibera (two) and Mathare (one), serving over 600 patients daily.
Last year, the organsation reached 5.1 million Kenyans directly across 35 counties with critical services which include healthcare, water distribution, Savings and Credit Co-operative, scholarships, gender services, women and youth empowerment programs among others.
