Odede moves to unite elders across Kenya to foster community development

Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) Founder and CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede has announced a new plan to unite a council of elders across Kenya to foster unity and sustainable development.

Speaking at a meeting with the Mijikenda Kaya Council of Elders in Mombasa on Wednesday, Dr Odede said the elders should come together and speak in one voice to take Kenya forward.

“We will begin with bringing together Kaya Elders, Luo Council of Elders, Kikuyu Council of Elders, Kalenjin Council of Elders and Kisii Council of Elders. I believe in lived experience that cannot be compared to a PhD in development.

“Elders, with their years of experience and wisdom, can provide sound advice and guidance to the community and they know where the shoe pinches. They can easily offer solutions based on their lived experiences, making them invaluable to the community,” Dr. Odede said.

The SHOFCO boss said elders’ unity symbolizes the strength of community and collective effort that fosters a sense of solidarity and respect among community members.

“Elders are beacons of moral authority. Their voices guide communities in matters of development and decision-making. In most cases, elders are not after their interests. They are there to ensure societal values are upheld and that decisions benefit the greater good,” he stated.

The SHOFCO founder called on the Kaya Elders to be cautious of politicians who can use them for their selfish gains during the electioneering period.

“Politicians must not misuse our elders. These are upright leaders that we depend on to guide the community. They provide stability in times of uncertainty. They understand past challenges and this can help the community navigate through difficult times,” he added.

Kaya Council of Elders Chairman Mzee Mwalimu Mwinyi thanked Dr Odede for fostering the unity of elders across Kenya. 

“This is what we have always wanted. Sometimes, we have our differences even within Kaya elders because we have elders from different levels within the counties of the coastal region. This move will solidify our unity and ensure we speak in one voice all the time,” Mwinyi said.

On his part, another Kaya Council of Elders leader Mzee Ali Simba, promised to rally communities in the coastal region to join SHOFCO.

“SHOFCO is a great organization that has brought together different types of people in the coastal region. It does not discriminate based on religion, social status or economic status. This is a great organization and I urge our people to join it,” Simba said.

Dr Odede is a champion of community-led solutions and has gained recognition for it worldwide.

“At SHOFCO, we believe in community participation in matters of leadership. We want leaders from the community to take charge and the way we can do that is to partner with the people directly.”

He added: “Through Shofco Urban Network (SUN), the citizens can elect county youth leader, chairman, woman representative, and a person representing people with disability. The idea is that we can represent everyone and voice their issues to those who should address them.”

A believer in local solutions, the SHOFCO CEO has emphasised local talent empowerment to alleviate global poverty.

“We can no longer afford to live in a world of aid workers and beneficiaries. We must recognize the talents existing in marginalized communities and unlock this potential to drive durable social change,” he said in a past forum.

In May 2022, Bridgespan Group singled out SHOFCO as the best model for global NGOs to emulate following its excellent community-driven change.

Bridgespan Group is guiding the philanthropic choices of many leading donors, including MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation among others.

Dr. Odede founded SHOFCO in 2004 in Kibera, Nairobi and it has now spread to 40 counties across Kenya serving six million people directly every year.