Shofco founder Kennedy Odede and other officials during the award of the scholarship. HANDOUT
Some 1400 students from Nairobi County have a reason to smile after Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) awarded them with full scholarships beginning January 2025.
The students, drawn from all 17 sub-counties in Nairobi, received their scholarships on Wednesday, December 11 in three events carried out in three locations across the county.
Speaking at Makongeni, Makadara Sub County, SHOFCO Founder and CEO Dr Kennedy Odede said the scholarships will help students who had been locked out of school due to lack of fees.
Also targeted with the scholarships are teen mothers who were not able to go back to school after giving birth.
“There are many teen mothers who are facing challenges in continuing their education due to financial constraints, and lack of childcare.
“Our scholarships will help remove these barriers, enabling them to complete their high school education. They are our children,” Dr. Odede said.
Teen mothers will also receive a stipend to enable them to take care of their young children at home as they pursue education.
“We will not only provide them with the much-needed support to continue their education, but we will also provide them with mentorship and counselling services.
“This support system will provide emotional and practical guidance, helping them navigate the challenges of being a student and a parent,” he added.
The organization is targeting to reach 10,000 vulnerable girls with scholarships across Kenya.
“This is just but the beginning. We are going to scout for needy students across the country who need support to continue their education.
“We must invest in our children because in them we have future doctors, engineers, teachers, nurses, and many more careers. We must support them to realise their dreams and SHOFCO is there to walk the journey with them,” Odede added.
One of the beneficiaries, Rose Nduta, could not hide her joy after her child received a full scholarship from SHOFCO.
“As a parent, it has always been my dream to provide the best education for my child but school fees have been the biggest challenge.
“The scholarship my child has received today will allow my child to focus on her education without the added stress of worrying about tuition and other school-related expenses,” Njeri said.
Njeri’s child received full support which included school
uniforms, shoes and other school-related expenses.
“We promise not to let you down. I will do my part as a parent to ensure that my child concentrates in school now that school fee challenges have been taken off my shoulder,” she said.
Another parent, Judith Atieno Odera, said the scholarship has given her child a chance to focus on her education and pursue her dreams without the burden of financial worry.
“As a parent, this scholarship means so much. It will ease some of the stress we've been feeling, and it reaffirms my belief that there are people out there who genuinely care about helping young people succeed,” Anyango said.
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.
