Africa Renewal: Congratulations on winning the 2025 UN Nelson Mandela Prize. What was your reaction and what does this recognition mean to you and the communities you serve?

Kennedy Odede: I’m truly humbled! When the winners were announced, I had travelled to Botswana, deep in the Okavango Delta—no internet, no phone signal. When I got back later on, my phone was blowing up—calls, messages, congratulatory messages! “What is happening?” I called to confirm the news. 

I was pleasantly surprised! Mandela is someone I admired deeply. For the UN to recognise an organisation like SHOFCO—it’s amazing! The Mandela Prize is awarded every five years, so being a recipient is no joke! For us it is a big deal, and it gives hope to other community organisations across Africa that their work matters.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognise my co-winner in this award, Ms. Brenda Reynolds of Canada. 

How did the communities you serve respond to the news?

They are so proud! The story is spreading everywhere. People living in informal settlements often don’t feel seen. This award is for them. I have since gone to the counties of Meru and Machakos (in Kenya)—people are excited. 

Let’s go back to your story: From growing up in Kibera, one of the biggest slums in Africa, to founding Shining Hope for Communities, you’ve had a remarkable journey. What inspired you to turn your personal struggles into a movement that now reaches over 4 million people across Kenya?

I grew up in Kibera slums in Nairobi. It was a very tough life. At some point, I became homeless—living on the streets and eating from garbage bins. I lost hope and became very angry. It looked like I had no future. I was looking for inspiration—great men and women who could inspire me.

I read a lot about Mandela and was inspired by his story. Winning this award is like a coincidence, a déjà vu- I looked up to him and now I have won this award named after him. I especially loved the fact that Mandela did not give up in his struggle and did not hold on to anger. For him, it was all about other people.

As a teenager, I was very angry. I wondered, why am I being beaten on the street? Why are we poor? I was using drugs, just confused, but Mandela’s story gave me hope— it taught me that transformation begins within. Before I could change the world, I had to work on myself. I read his “Long Walk to Freedom” which gave me the idea that I could do something.

So, I started SHOFCO when I was 15 with just a soccer ball — no money, nothing. I had that kind of spirit that said: “You have to start. You have to do something.“ 

So, we were playing soccer, helping one another, cleaning the streets, doing short skits by  the roadside, keeping our girls safe, talking about GBV and HIV/AIDS. That’s how we built what I call a community.

How did the organisation evolve into this huge movement currently serving millions of people?

I was always a good community mobilizer. I lived in a tiny room—no toilet, surrounded by violence. I lost friends to the violence. I was intrigued by the poem Invictus that’s emphasised on resilience, inner strength and being the captain of my life. In Kibera slums, you feel like you’re in prison—like nothing good can come from you. Mandela’s body was imprisoned, but not his mind. I wanted to go beyond admiring him—I wanted to act. 

We started with just playing soccer, then we began doing drama and theatre—we called it “Ambush Theatre.” We would perform on the streets to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS and Gender Based Violence. After the activities, we would sit down and just talk. My philosophy was: “Let’s not just complain. What are we doing about it?” 

Many youths resonated with our thinking and joined us. If you were using drugs, we kept you busy helping the community. That’s how SHOFCO grew—no money, just action. 

Even when I left Kenya on a scholarship to study Sociology at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, USA.

the movement continued. I worked at the university library and sent money home to continue our work. 

We eventually built a school—Kibera School for Girls—one of the first such institutions in the area. Now our students have since gone on to universities abroad, including prestigious one like Columbia, Tufts in the US and others in India. 

Currently, we operate in 35 counties in Kenya. We’re supporting about 10,000 girls to go to school, and we are partnering with the government in providing healthcare and clean water, as well as putting hundreds of youth through TVETs [Technical and Vocational Education and Training] colleges. 

SHOFCO employs 2,000 staff members, and our soccer team is still running —they’re doing great in the league.

What makes your organisation unique in its approach to development and empowerment in urban slums?

We may be grassroots, but we play global. That’s very rare. SHOFCO was started by street kids—people from the local community, not from New York or London. I see other organisations always writing proposals for funding. For us, we didn’t start because of donors, we started because we wanted to solve our own problems. That’s what makes us unique. Now we’re advising organisations in South Africa, India, and West Africa.

We are unique because we are part of the solution to the challenges we face. We are the ones affected by poverty, so we understand the issues, and our people are part of finding the solutions. 

Most importantly, we inspire and give people hope as we go. 

Nelson Mandela once said: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others.” How does this quote resonate with you and your mission?

That quote drives me. It is about selflessness. African leaders should remember it too. It’s not about where you come from or what you have achieved—what matters is what you’ve done for others. For example, I came from the slums. I went to America. That’s nice. But what have I done for my community?

So far, SHOFCO has reached about 4 million people—helped solve over 70,000 GBV cases, taken over 1.5 million youth through training and helped secure about 180,000 jobs for young people. We have 2,000 staff members, most of them from the communities we serve. 

You’ve already accomplished so much—what’s next for your organisation? 

We are in 35 out of the 47 counties in Kenya. We plan to expand to the remaining counties. We are also in talks to do some work in other African countries such as South Africa and Nigeria. 

How do you make this work sustainable?

The big focus right now is on sustainability. We’re already running income-generating activities. For example, we’re the largest provider of clean water in many areas in the slums. 

We also have a big SACCO [Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization, a member-owned financial institution where members contribute funds and borrow loans) with over 40,000 members. 

Initially started by SHOFCO staff, our SACCO has since grown and opened up to the community. We have given out loans worth over $10 million so far. You borrow, you pay back, you borrow again and expand your business. It is about trust. It is like our own bank—owned by the community and run by the community. 

Also, members get dividends from their shares at the end of each year. That's sustainable—the money is rotating from one member to another and they are starting small businesses. We plan to expand these kind of income-generating activities. 

How will the Mandela Prize help shape your future endeavours? 

For too long, “lived experience” has been ignored in development as part of the solution. But now, the biggest international organisation—the UN—is saying “lived experience” matters.

This recognition will open doors to new partnerships and platforms. Governments, philanthropists, and global platforms are now taking notice. That will help SHOFCO grow and reach more people.

Finally, what is your message to young Africans—especially those growing up in hardship?

Africa is young—70% of our population is young. They need to know they have power. They are lucky to live in this digital age. With technology and their skills, they are going to have a big impact on lives. 

Young people need to be part of the solution in their communities. They have tools my generation didn’t have.

It’s time they stop waiting to be told what to do. They are not leaders of tomorrow—they are leaders of today —now!