Shining Hope for Communities

Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) is an internationally-recognized grassroots organization that unlocks the potential of urban slum dwellers to lead hopeful and fulfilling lives. SHOFCO disrupts survival mode by providing equitable access to critical services, including health care, clean water, education, and economic empowerment, linked to a community organizing platform. SHOFCO impacts 2.4 million individuals across 17 urban slums in Kenya, and over 50% of its staff are urban slum residents. SHOFCO is a trusted name and service provider with a 10-year track record.

SHOFCO believes in a brighter future for Kenya through education and empowerment of girls. With this in mind, we opened the first free school for girls in Kibera in 2009, the Kibera School for Girls (KSG) and a sister school, the Mathare School for Girls, in 2015. Currently, both schools serve approximately 600 students from Pre-K to Grade 8. Students are provided with a tuition-free first class education that focuses not only on academics but also socio-emotional health and leadership capacities. Every student also receives healthcare, meals, uniforms and school supplies so that they can stay focused on what matters most: their futures.
The result is students who are ready to transition to some of the best high schools both in the US and Kenya after the completion of their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Exam. SHOFCO continues to nurture the students through their high school journey, in what is known as the Future Education Program. The Future Education team continues to build on the foundation built in KSG and MSG for students attending high school in Kenya and runs a rigorous 8 month transition program for those who receive a full scholarship to attend boarding school in the US. With the first class of KSG graduates set to enter university in Fall 2022, SHOFCO is dedicated to continuing to support their primary school graduates in this next phase of their educational journey.