Shining Hope for Communities

01/09/2026

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭, 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐀 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐀 𝟖𝟏

UNGA 81 opens next week in New York under the theme: "𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡, 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 𝑎 𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑁𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙.”

We've been quietly testing what that takes since 2004 when our CEO Kennedy Odede started a community conversation with 20 cents and a soccer ball in Kibera.

Twenty-two years later, that discussion group is a movement reaching 2.5 million people a year across 75% of Kenya's counties.

𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑁𝑜𝑤 2025 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡: https://www.shofco.org/2025-impact-report/

This week, we're showing our evidence case by case. Follow along and learn more about our work and impact.

31/08/2026

In Kibera, families without reliable water access have paid up to five to ten times more for water than other Kenyans, often to the water cartels tapping pipes illegally.

SHOFCO’s response: an aerial piping network supplying 55 water kiosks, many operated by women, and water pricing is about 60% below private vendors. This community-built system is reaching more than 60,000 people and expanding to reach 100,000 more.

Our community-based water scheme is more than a short-term fix; it’s durable, government-standard infrastructure built and owned by the community it serves.

27/08/2026

As comes to a close, we’re reminded that expanding access to clean water is not just a public health imperative; it’s a matter of dignity.

When safe water is within reach, it protects families from disease, frees up hours otherwise spent searching for it, and gives women and girls more time for school, work, and rest. That’s why water access must be treated as a basic right, and why we must keep investing in solutions that bring safety, opportunity, and respect to every community.

In informal settlements like Kibera, women have long walked long distances just to bring water home; time that could go toward work, rest, or family. And when water isn’t accessible nearby, girls are often the ones who stay home from school to help or arrive late and exhausted after hours of labor.

That’s why SHOFCO has built and operates 55 water kiosks, now serving approximately 60,000 persons with clean, treated water every single day, bringing water within reach, safely and affordably.

When we talk about water for people and progress, we mean exactly that. We mean women reclaiming their time and safety, girls staying in school, and communities building real, lasting resilience.

As the World Water Week 2026 comes to end in Stockholm, SHOFCO continues to champion water access as a foundation for dignity, not a privilege, but a right.

26/08/2026

𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬' 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 & 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
Water security isn’t only a public health issue, it’s an education systems issue, and investing in reliable WASH is one of the most cost-effective ways to keep girls in school.

As global leaders gather in Stockholm for World Water Week under the theme “𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑃𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠,” we’re seeing what that looks like every day in Kibera.

Through SHOFCO’s WASH and education work, clean, treated water reaches 50+ schools; and we’re pairing it with practical menstrual health support so girls can stay in class. That includes:

▪️Sanitary pads for learners who would otherwise miss school during their period
▪️Safe, gender-segregated toilets with handwashing stations so girls can manage menstruation with privacy and dignity

When water and menstrual health are addressed together, the results are straightforward:

▪️Better hygiene, fewer illnesses, more learning days
▪️Safer facilities, greater attendance and retention for adolescent girls

Progress isn’t only what’s discussed at global convenings, it’s a girl in Kibera able to attend school every day of the month.

If you’re working on WASH, girls’ education, or adolescent health, we’d welcome connection and partnership to scale what works.

26/08/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐔𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡
Our hearts are with the families in Gatwekera, Kibera, impacted by the recent fire near SHOFCO’s main site. We’re grateful to neighbors, volunteers, and responders who acted quickly, proof that when Kibera comes together, no challenge is too big.

SHOFCO’s aerial water piping helped contain the blaze, reminding us that resilient water systems are lifesaving infrastructure. As we mark 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑊𝑒𝑒𝑘, this moment underscores the message: water is life, safety, and community resilience.

To everyone affected: we see you, we stand with you.

24/08/2026

𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬
As leaders gather in Stockholm for World Water Week around the theme “Water for People and Progress,” we’re doubling down on what that means on the ground: reliable clean water that protects health and unlocks opportunity.

Kibera Comprehensive School used to rely on a stalled borehole, with kids bringing water from home in bottles. Today, thanks to SHOFCO, the school has its own clean water system and handwashing stations; with gender segregated toilets for different age groups.

Headteacher Samuel Onyango says it best:
"𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝, 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑦𝑔𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝐾𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑆𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙 𝑎 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠."

This is one of 45 schools SHOFCO has connected to water in Kibera, alongside 55 water kiosks reaching about 60,000 people every day.

24/08/2026

Congratulations to Last Mile Health, the 2026 Hilton Humanitarian Prize recipient!

Last Mile Health is being recognized for addressing a critical problem: Illness is universal, but access to healthcare is not. Today, two billion people live outside the reach of healthcare, and nearly nine million die each year from preventable causes.

Through partnerships with governments, the organization equips community health workers with the training, tools, and support to deliver essential primary healthcare at the last mile, expanding access to care and improving health outcomes for millions.

Learn more about this year’s Prize recipient from Conrad N. Hilton Foundation:

Read the latest updates on Last Mile Health Selected as the 2026 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize Recipient Stay informed with the most recent news and developments affecting global initiatives.

21/08/2026

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐀 𝐊𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Ahead of World Water Week 2026 in Stockholm, SHOFCO is spotlighting what water access unlocks, not just survival, but progress.

In Kibera, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements, clean water was once a daily struggle. Today, through more than 50 SHOFCO water kiosks, we deliver clean, treated water to approximately 59,948 persons every day. Our target is to serve at least 100,000 people per day. This intervention is reshaping health outcomes, safety, and economic resilience across the community.

For Caren Misiani, a Lindi village resident since 1991, the numbers tell the story. She used to spend KSh 60–150 a day buying water from private vendors. Today, a 20-liter jerrican costs KSh 3 at SHOFCO kiosks, and she rarely spends more than KSh 50.

With household water expenses reduced by 80–90%, her family is now investing the savings in nutritious food and table banking groups. What was once spent on accessing water is now helping them build financial resilience and work toward a more sustainable livelihood.

Water infrastructure built for the people who need it most does not just quench thirst. It creates room to grow.

20/08/2026

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤
Next week, water leaders, policymakers, and utilities gather in Stockholm for World Water Week 2026 under the theme "𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑃𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠."

For SHOFCO, that connection is lived every day in the communities we serve. Through our WASH work, we are expanding access to safe, affordable water, improving sanitation, and supporting behavior change that helps families and schools protect health and dignity.

Recent reporting shows clear progress on water access: 2,323 new households are now accessing steady, affordable clean water daily. SHOFCO has also completed 25 meter connections and operationalized 2 new water dispensing points.

These are WASH outcomes, and they’re gender outcomes, too: time returned to women and girls, safer sanitation, healthier classrooms, and more girls able to stay in school because the infrastructure supports them.

Follow along as we share what “Water and Gender” looks like when it is lived, not theorized.

19/08/2026

𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞 | 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐: 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲, 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 & 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬

For many young entrepreneurs, the biggest barrier isn't a lack of ideas; it's a lack of access. Access to capital. Access to financial knowledge. Access to someone who believes in the vision enough to mentor it forward.

In Part 2 of our Voices from the Last Mile series, young people from our SUN Youth community in Mombasa open up about what it really takes to turn a hustle into a business, from navigating SACCOs and table banking, to landing their first business grant, to the mentors who showed them how to manage money, not just make it.

These are not your ordinary stories of overnight success. They're stories of resilience, strategy and young people building financial futures on their own terms. Young people knowledgeable enough to speak up!

🔗 Watch Part 2 👇

Missed Part 1? Catch up here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/199Cv8GYFw/

Tuko Insightful Cbo