Shofco SACCO Limited
won seven awards during the 2025 Ushirika Day celebrations held at the Kenyatta
International Convention Centre (KICC), emerging among the top-performing
community-based SACCOs in Kenya.
The SACCO, affiliated
with the Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) organisation, was recognised in
multiple categories under the non-deposit-taking (non-DT) SACCO bracket.
It was ranked first in Best in Credit
Management, second in Best Performing Community-Based SACCO, and second in Best
in Risk Management.
Other rankings included second in Most
Improved SACCO, second in Capitalization, third in Technology Optimization, and
third in Member Management.
The awards were part
of a national competition organised by the State Department for Cooperatives
under the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, which attracted
hundreds of SACCOs countrywide.
Speaking after the
event, Shofco SACCO Chairman Dr Kennedy Odede said the recognition was a
reflection of the group’s work in serving low-income communities.
“Credit management is
at the heart of any successful SACCO. Being ranked No. 1 in that area is proof
that our strategies anchored in trust, community accountability, and digital
systems are working,” said Dr Odede.
He noted that
operating a community-based SACCO posed challenges since most members do not
have formal employment or stable income, yet the SACCO had maintained
performance and stability.
“We’re not just
managing money, we’re transforming lives,” he added.
Shofco SACCO General
Manager Victor Owiti attributed the performance to the organisation’s focus on
improving risk control, digitising services, and enhancing member education.
“Our members are the
engine of everything we do. We’ve built systems that reflect their needs, their
realities, and their aspirations,” said Owiti.
Founded less than 10
years ago, the SACCO serves members in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and other
towns, mainly drawn from informal settlements.
It provides savings,
microloans, and financial literacy training, with a focus on women and youth.
In May 2025, it opened
branches in Kakamega and Nairobi’s Eastlands area. The SACCO currently has
assets valued at over KSh1 billion and has disbursed more than KSh800 million
in loans to its members.
