Kenya’s Kennedy Odede was recognised at the annual commemoration by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly of Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July, Nelson Mandela International Day.
United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize is considered one of the most prestigious awards a person could get. It is inspiring and humbling that Odede has been considered worthy of the Nelson Mandela Prize.
The award recognises the achievements of those who dedicated their lives to service of humanity as guided by the purposes and principles of the UN, while honouring and paying homage to Mandela’s extraordinary life and legacy of reconciliation, political transition and social transformation. It is awarded every five years and was first awarded in 2015, making Odede only the third person to receive the award.
Nelson Mandela who passed away at age 95 years was a true legend if we consider what he was able to achieve in his lifetime. It is stunning and inspiring to see Odede honored as one with zeal, sacrifice and humility that the iconic Mandela demonstrated throughout his life.
Odede has obviously earned the prize. He’s doing impressive and transformative work to make change – helping communities to climb out of poverty and giving people hope for a better future.
The transformative figure, finds ingenious solutions including schools for the most vulnerable girls, training programs for men to combat domestic violence, safe houses for survivors, community libraries, employment programs, innovative clean-water kiosks, a community cooperative bank.
Odede grew up in Kibera, Kenya’s largest slum and experienced poverty. At age 10, he was your typical Nairobi Street boy or as most people refer to them, “chokora”, “eater of garbage.” He was subsisting on my own, without basic services like education and healthcare.
Although Odede experienced devastating realities of life and extreme poverty, he still dreamt of changing his life and community. He took up menial jobs to survive. In 2004, he took up a job in a factory earning the equivalent of $1 for 10 hours of work. He saved 20 cents and used that to buy a soccer ball to start Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO).
Like many people in growing up in situation of lack in Kibera, Korogocho and Mathare among other areas, he has entrepreneurial spirit and that is how he started SHOFCO which has become the largest grassroots organisation in the slum. Today, SHOFCO impacts over 2.4 million people in Kenya.
Since its founding, SHOFCO has implemented many life changing projects in different communities. SHOFCO implements a community-led approach to change, which has helped them to transform underprivileged communities.
As Odede often says, meaningful change can be realized only if communities are involved, and sustainable change comes from giving people agency and investing in collaborative, community-driven solutions.
Currently, SHOFCO operates in 40 of the 47 counties in Kenya, impacting over 4 million lives. Our programs focus on education, healthcare, water and sanitation, economic empowerment, community mobilization, and youth development.
Through Shofco Urban Network (SUN), the organisation has brought together individuals and households through social groups run independently and organises them to actively seek tangible change in their community and society at large.
Through the organisation’s two leadership academies for girls, SHOFCO is creating female leaders who have experienced life in slums and marginalization first-hand. The girls are nurtured to become advocates for their communities and ultimately change situations.
The decision to award Kennedy Odede with Nelson Mandela Prize for his extraordinary efforts to transform vulnerable communities is praise worthy. Odede extraordinary example continues to inspire many people from marginalised areas and vulnerable communities. Odede has shown that no matter your background you can come up and do big things. That is why we are proud of him.
Mr Obonyo is a Public Policy Analyst. Email: raphojuma@hotmail.com
