For Mary Anyango, the launch of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) Rongo Community Centre is an opportunity to acquire practical skills and create a better future for herself and her family.
As a beneficiary of SHOFCO’s women’s empowerment programme, Anyango is looking to build on the opportunities she has already received to improve her livelihood.
“For me, this centre is an opportunity to learn new skills that I can use to earn an income and support my family. I want to gain the knowledge and confidence to start something of my own and become more financially independent,” Anyango says.
The facility is part of SHOFCO’s expanding community empowerment programmes in Migori County, where the organisation is working with local communities and the county government to address challenges in education, water access, livelihoods and gender-based violence.
The Rongo Community Centre will host several programmes, including a tailoring training unit, computer laboratory, school library and community hall.
The community hall will provide space for meetings, training sessions and other activities aimed at strengthening local participation in development.
Speaking during the launch, Migori Governor Ochillo Ayacko said partnerships between the county government and development organisations were essential to accelerating development and improving livelihoods.
“My government welcomes and supports development partners because meaningful progress requires collective effort. We cannot meet every community need working in isolation. We must combine resources and ideas to deliver lasting change,” Ayacko said.
He said the centre will expand access to education, vocational training and opportunities for residents to improve their economic circumstances.
“Facilities such as this public library, tailoring training centre and community hall are investments in our people. They give children access to knowledge, equip young people and women with practical skills, and create spaces where communities can organise and develop solutions to their own challenges,” he said.
On his part, SHOFCO Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kennedy Odede said his organisation had made significant investments in water access, education, livelihoods and protection services in Migori.
“So far, we have rehabilitated 45 water pans, provided full scholarships to more than 300 students, supported community-based organisations and handled about 3,000 gender-based violence cases,” Odede said.
He added that SHOFCO had supported 600 young people with capital to grow their businesses and placed another 450 in apprenticeship programmes to strengthen their practical skills and improve their employment prospects.
“These investments are about giving people the tools to change their own circumstances. Whether it is access to water, education, business capital or vocational training, our goal is to help communities overcome barriers that prevent them from reaching their potential,” he said.
Odede said the Rongo centre would bring several opportunities closer to residents, reducing some of the barriers that prevent women and young people from accessing training and educational resources.
“Development must be felt in people’s everyday lives. A young person should be able to acquire a skill, a woman should have a pathway to earning an income, and a child should have access to resources that support learning. That is the kind of opportunity we want this centre to create,” he said.
SHOFCO is also working with the county government to strengthen support for survivors of gender-based violence.
Odede said the organisation was constructing a 48-bed safe house in Macalder, Nyatike Sub County in partnership with the County Government of Migori.
The facility is intended to provide survivors with protection and access to support services as they seek safety and recovery.
The organisation has also supported community-based organisations, which play an important role in identifying local needs and connecting communities to services.
Under its Shofco Urban Network (SUN) program, the organisation has 50,000 members in Migori county.
SUN has over three million members in 40 counties across Kenya.
