Cutting ribbon. From left: Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Gender PS Anne Wang'ombe and Shofco CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede during the opening of Ndhiwa Safehouse that was constructed by Shofco.A new safehouse established through a partnership between the Shining Hope for Communities (Shofco) and the Homa Bay County Government has officially opened its doors.
The development marks a major step in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) in a county where reported cases remain among the highest in Kenya.
The Ndhiwa Safehouse will offer emergency shelter, trauma counselling, and legal assistance to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) data shows 54% of women aged 15-49 in Homa Bay have faced physical violence, and 23% sexual violence, making it second in Kenya for GBV prevalence.
With Homa Bay recording higher-than-national prevalence of violence particularly affecting women and girls, county leaders say the new facility will provide urgently needed protection and a pathway to justice.
Governor Gladys Wanga welcomed the new facility saying it will provide urgently needed protection and a pathway to justice.
“This facility is a lifeline for our daughters, mothers and families who have too often suffered in silence.
“I want to thank Shofco for this noble gesture which will greatly help our women who have been abused for long,” Governor said.
The Homa Bay boss said the county is prioritising prevention and survivor support and urged residents to reject stigma and harmful social attitudes that discourage reporting.
“This safehouse is not just a building. It is our commitment that no survivor of violence should ever be left alone, unsafe or unheard. As a community, we must say ‘enough’ to abuse and stand firmly with those who seek help,” Governor Wanga said.
The initiative is the product of a collaboration begun through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Shofco and the county signed in August 2024.
Shofco Founder and CEO Dr. Odede said the safehouse demonstrates what community-centred partnerships can achieve when survivors’ protection is prioritised.
“This safehouse sends a clear message that violence has no place in our homes or communities. When survivors find shelter, they also find hope, and hope can transform lives,” he said.
He added that Shofco would continue working with county governments to ensure survivors receive coordinated assistance.
Gender Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe led the official opening ceremony, calling the safehouse “a facility that represents hope, safety and new beginnings for survivors of Gender-Based Violence.”
Wang’ombe noted that Homa Bay’s GBV statistics are starkly higher than national averages, citing recent survey findings showing that 54 per cent of women in the county have experienced physical violence and 23 per cent sexual violence.
“These numbers represent real women and girls whose lives, dignity and futures have been disrupted,” she said.
She praised Shofco for fully funding and implementing the project and commended the county for allocating land and taking stewardship of the facility.
“Today marks a significant milestone, not only for Homa Bay County but for our national efforts to strengthen a coordinated, survivor-centred GBV prevention and response system,” Wang’ombe said.
The Principal Secretary also used the launch to outline national measures being undertaken by the State Department for Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action, including ongoing construction of additional protection centres and a review of existing legislation to strengthen the legal framework governing shelters.
She urged counties, civil society, development partners and citizens to intensify prevention, reporting and accountability.
“Real transformation begins in our homes, villages, churches, mosques and schools,” she said.
The PS expressed hope that the safehouse will become a symbol of collective resolve.
“Every survivor who walks through these doors must know they are believed, protected and not alone,” Wang’ombe said
Dr. Odede further said the facility will operate as part of a larger multisectoral response, linking survivors to police, psychosocial support and legal actors.
“We have also offered scholarships to 320 needy students in Homa Bay County, most of whom are teen mums,” he added.
