Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) has intensified its Gender and Inclusion campaign in Western Kenya by rolling out an integrated strategy with survivor support, community networks, child protection, financial inclusion, and local partnerships.

In a two-day gender campaign in Kakamega and Vihiga counties this week that brought together over 10,000 locals, SHOFCO Founder and CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede emphasised the need to invest in gender-based violence prevention through various interventions such as scholarships, women's empowerment programs and community sensitisation. 

“For too long, our focus has been reactive; we respond only after harm has occurred. As a society, we have delayed in investing in education, community outreach, and safe spaces, and we have allowed cycles of violence to continue. 

“At SHOFCO, we are striving to reach those who have been neglected especially in rural areas across Kenya,” Dr. Odede said. 

During the sensitisation events, SHOFCO, under its Shofco Urban Network (SUN) program, conducted election of community leaders who will spearhead change in their areas and act as a link between state authorities and the private sector. 

“Investing in GBV prevention through community leaders is essential. This is because they are the first line of defence, the trusted voices in families, churches, mosques, and village gatherings. 

“The leaders who have been elected will be equipped with knowledge and resources to protect the vulnerable and stop violence before it begins,” Dr. Odede stated. 

SHOFCO is currently handling 119 abuse cases in court in the two counties.  

The organization is also carrying out Rights of Children (ROC) training in schools across the two counties. 

“When children understand their rights, they begin to recognize abuse for what it is. More importantly, they learn how to speak out, seek help, and support each other.

“Through our ROC program, we have reached 3,774 in schools across Vihiga and Kakamega counties this year. This program creates a generation that knows that violence is not normal and that every child, regardless of gender, has value,” SHOFCO Project Director Angela Ng’etich said. 

The organisation has also received 2,874 cases of various abuses involving women, girls and men this year. 

At the same time, the SHOFCO has carried out community sensitization activities that have reached thousands of residents of Vihiga and Kakamega counties. 

Available data shows GBV is still a big challenge in Kenya with at least 678 women and girls murdered by intimate partners between 2016 and 2024. 

According to a 2022 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) survey, about a third of all women ages 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence since age 15, and 13% have experienced sexual violence at some point.

SHOFCO is partnering with both national and county governments to fight the vice both rural and urban areas. 

“Our experience on the ground has shown us that gender-based violence cannot be addressed by one sector alone. As an NGO, we bring proximity to survivors, trust within communities, and the flexibility to respond quickly. 

“But it is only when we partner with government through coordinated case management, arrests, arraignment, and joint advocacy, that we see real, and sustainable change,” SHOFCO Gender and Inclusion Director said during the campaign in Western Kenya. 

SHOFCO is also investing on affordable credit for women and GBV survivors to create an environment where they can survive on their own without depending on abusive partners. 

“When a woman has access to a small loan, she can start a business, support her children, and walk away from abusive situations with dignity. 

“Economic empowerment is not just about income, it’s about power, confidence, and options. At SHOFCO Sacco, we make that a reality and we have an office in Kakamega that serves the entire Western region,” Shofco Sacco General Manager Victor Ochie’ng said during the two-day sensitization tour. 

The organization is addressing GBV using various methods which include provision of safe houses, medical attention, psychosocial counseling, legal assistance, mental health awareness, real-time data system, multi-sector coordination, and economic empowerment.