UN Chief Guterres Awards Kenya’s Kennedy Odede Mandela Prize in New York
- A Kenyan man made history to become the first to be awarded a prestigious prize that mirrors the legacy of an iconic African leader
- Kennedy Odede's contribution beyond the borders of his country and the role he plays on the global scale saw him bag the accolade
- He shared a moving speech after being given the honour, which he shared with a woman, cementing the reason he was a worthy winner
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In a historic ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Kennedy Odede, the founder and CEO of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Nelson Mandela Prize.
Source: UGC
The honour is bestowed every five years to celebrate two individuals, one male and one female, whose lives mirror Nelson Mandela’s legacy of reconciliation, service, and community-driven change.
Odede shares the accolade with Brenda Reynolds of Canada, becoming the first Kenyan man ever to be recognised.
Born in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements, Odede became a street child at the tender age of 10.
When was SHOFCO launched?
In 2004, with just KSh 20 and a soccer ball, he launched SHOFCO to mobilise youth and neighbours into a united force for change.
“20 years ago, as a young man working in a factory for barely a dollar a day, I saved twenty cents to buy a soccer ball. That ball was not just for play, but it was a tool for organising, a centre around which a community could form. That community became Shining Hope for Communities or SHOFCO, as we call it,” Odede said.
Over two decades, SHOFCO has directly impacted more than four million Kenyans annually, delivering education, clean water, primary healthcare, gender-based violence support, livelihoods, and grassroots mobilisation across 35 counties.
“SHOFCO, now two decades later, has grown to 90 places across Kenya, each driven and led by the community themselves. Four million people have been directly impacted, including 1.3 million youth leaders, 156,000 children treated for malnutrition, 40,000 households receiving clean water, and over KSh 1.3 billion in loans to ultra-poor families,” he stated.
Odede's speech after winning Mandela Prize
Odede voiced gratitude not only for himself but for community-rooted leadership.
SHOFCO’s model is community-led, delivering clean water, girls’ education, community health, economic opportunity, gender-based violence support, and civic engagement anchored in resident participation.
Odede has vocally opposed “parachute aid,” advocating instead for localisation, placing decision-making, funds, and implementation in the hands of communities themselves.
“In so many communities like Kibera, the gates of opportunity remain narrow. But at SHOFCO, we are not waiting for permission to belong to the future we are building. We are demonstrating that transformative leadership emerges precisely from the places the world overlooks, not just to walk through existing gates, but to widen them for others,” he added.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who presented the award, emphasised the global significance of the laureates.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres praises Odede
“Odede grew up in the slums of Kenya. He is a long-time community activist. The organisation (SHOFCO) he founded unites community groups across the country and now reaches 2.4 million people each year with essential services, from education to water,” he said.
“As the United Nations celebrates 80 years, Nelson Mandela’s legacy of reconciliation and transformation continues to inspire and drive us. This year’s Mandela Prize winners embody the spirit of unity and possibility, reminding us how we all have the power to shape stronger communities and a better world," he added
He went on to underscore the prize’s symbolic power, saying the laureates exemplify servant leadership rooted in humility, unity, and justice.
“On behalf of the United Nations, I congratulate Reynolds and Odede on this well-deserved recognition,” he said.
When did the Mandela Prize ceremony take place?
Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ekitela Lokaale, said:
“Kennedy Odede of SHOFCO, Kenya, is the recipient of the 2025 United Nations Nelson Mandela Award alongside Brenda Reynolds of Canada.
The award, presented by the UN Secretary-General during the commemoration of UN Nelson Mandela International Day at the General Assembly today, recognises Odede’s work of promoting Nelson Mandela’s legacy of peace, dignity, social justice, and equality through SHOFCO’s efforts to empower communities and individuals in Kenya.”
Beyond Kibera, Odede influences global discourse through roles on the USAID Advisory Committee, World Economic Forum, Obama Foundation, and UN education financing commissions, lifting the voices of informal settlement communities at the highest levels.
His life path, from marginalised street youth to global changemaker, reflects the resilience, reconciliation, and servant leadership championed by Nelson Mandela.
The Mandela Prize ceremony took place on Friday, July 18, aligning with Nelson Mandela International Day.
What other honours has Odede received?
In addition to this accolade, Odede’s leadership record is distinguished by honours and global roles that amplify his grassroots impact.
He was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People (2024), received the Echoing Green Fellowship (2010), was listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 (2014), and was named a Schwab Foundation Social Innovator (2022).
He has also served as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Obama Foundation Africa Leader, and a member of the Clinton Global Initiative.
He was part of the USAID Advisory Committee and served on the UN International Commission on Financing Global Education board.
Source: Facebook
Odede names among 100 most influential people globally
In another story, the Kibera-based philanthropist was named among the 100 most influential people globally.
He shared the honour with William Samoei Ruto, who was also making a mark by touching and bettering lives.
His humanitarian work in the slums of Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu impacted many lives and brought positive change to the community.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
