Gladys Wanga applauds Kennedy Odede’s UN Mandela prize
By Valerian Khakayi, July 18, 2025Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has warmly congratulated Kenyan social entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), Kennedy Odede, on being awarded the prestigious 2025 United Nations Nelson Mandela Prize.
In a statement shared via her official X account on Friday, July 18, 2025, Wanga praised Odede’s unwavering dedication to grassroots change, underscoring the transformative journey of SHOFCO from a neighbourhood initiative in Kibera to a national movement.
She emphasised the broader significance of Odede’s recognition, stating that the award confirms that grassroots power works.
“Congratulations, Kennedy Odede! Your 2025 UN Mandela Prize confirms what we already knew – you don’t wait to create change. From one soccer ball to serving 4 million, you’ve shown what grassroots power can do. Well done!” she said.
Award
Odede was recognised alongside Canada’s Brenda Reynolds as one of two global recipients of the UN’s highest civic honour, awarded every five years to individuals who dedicate their lives to humanity.
The UN will formally present the Mandela Prize to Odede and Reynolds during a ceremony at its New York headquarters on July 18, Nelson Mandela International Day.
In 2024, Odede was named among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, as Schwab Foundation’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year and has served on the USAID Advisory Committee.
He was also awarded the 2018 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, and in the same year, he was recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Who is Odede?
Born in Rarieda, Kenya, Odede moved with his family to Nairobi’s Kibera slum after a famine struck their village when he was two years old.
He began his path to change by pooling wages to buy a soccer ball, an act that sparked the birth of SHOFCO in 2004. Today, the organisation reaches over 2.4 million Kenyans across nearly three-quarters of Kenya’s counties, providing vital services such as clean water, health care, and girls’ education
