Top United States Congress officials paid a courtesy call to Shining Hope for Communities (Shofco) in Kibera and toured the organisation’s life-changing programmes on Friday.
The delegation was seconded by USAID where Shofco CEO and Founder Dr. Kennedy Odede currently serves in its Advisory Board.
The senior Congress staffers, led by Ryan Murphy, were interested in learning about SHOFCO’s on-ground approach to community development.
“It’s interesting to see what SHOFCO has done in this community (Kibera). It’s inspiring indeed,” Murphy said during the tour.
On her part, Courtney Butcher, the Director of Members Services and Coalition for House of Representative Speaker Mike Johnson, commended Shofco for having safe space for girls to learn.
“I like how Shofco has integrated its programs. The girls studying in this school has every reason to succeed. They are not only here to learn, but they are also comfortable because they are in a safe space,” Butcher said.
Others in the delegation were Michael Reed, Director of Whip Operations and Member Services for House Democratic Whip Katherine Clarke; Philip Bednarczyk, Senior Professional Staff (Minority), House Foreign Affairs Committee; Rachel Walker, Senior Advisor, House Foreign Affairs Committee; Kate Knudson, Chief of Protocol and Director, House Office of Inter-parliamentary Affairs; and Jimmy Walsh, Senior Professional Staff, House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Dr. Odede was appointed to the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACVFA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through USAID Administrator Samantha Power in September 2022.
The ACVFA was first established in the aftermath of World War II.
It has existed longer than USAID itself, playing an important role in shaping the United States’ approach to international development.
The committee has membership from leading experts representing NGOs, the private sector, academia and civil society drawn from across the globe.
“The committee’s new membership is comprised of internationally recognised leaders representing a broad range of sectors who will support the Agency’s mission and goals by advising on key development challenges and priorities,” said Power in her statement confirming the appointment.
The board is chaired by Nisha Biswal, Senior Vice President for International Strategy and Global Initiatives at the US Chamber of Commerce.
The congressional delegation’s visit to Shofco came exactly three weeks after US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman was hosted by Dr. Odede in Kibera.
The US top envoy praised the organisation’s projects, saying they have transformed the lives of vulnerable residents of Kibera.
“Exciting to witness the transformational work of Kennedy Odede and his amazing team at SHOFCO and the positive impact of your initiatives in Kibera,” the Ambassador said.
During the visit, Ambassador Whitman toured SHOFCO’s Women Empowerment Program, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Gender Department, library, computer lab, and Kibera School for Girls.
Dr. Odede has a wide network of the most influential people in the United States.
He was introduced by President Bill Clinton as a family friend during the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Conference in September 2022.
“Pleasure to introduce someone who truly embodies the best of CGI. His work has improved lives in the most impoverished communities on earth.
“A long-time friend of our family, Kennedy Odede, founder and CEO of Shining Hope for Communities has made a huge difference from almost the beginning of his very young life and he is here to help us kick this off,” Clinton stated.
In February this year, Dr. Odede held talks with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren in Boston.
The Massachusetts Senator is one of the most notable politicians in America, who in the last election was among the top four vice-presidential choices for the then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, along with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Representative Val Demings, and Senator Kamala Harris.
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