Shining Hope for Communities CEO and Founder Dr. Kennedy Odede has met United States Senator from Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren in his tour of the county.
Dr. Odede said he has always admired the senator and was great meeting her in Boston.
Warren was among the top four vice-presidential choices for the then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, along with Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Representative Val Demings, and Senator Kamala Harris.
“I have always admired Senator Elizabeth Warren. It’s good to be in Boston, and meeting the senator. We spoke about Kenya, and stories of my namesake JF. Kennedy. At the Senate, she sits on the same chair that John F Kennedy sat on,” the SHOFCO founder captioned the photo.
The philanthropist has always shown great admiration for JF Kennedy, especially for his emphasis on public service and civil rights.
In the past, the SHOFCO founder said his mother named him after the slain American president.
“ I was named Odede - it means “after the drought.” It rained for days after I was born. I was named Kennedy after America’s President John F. Kennedy whose “airlifting program” with Tom Mboya had taken many bright young Kenyans to study in America,” Dr. Odede once wrote on his Facebook page.
Born and raised in Kibera, Dr Odede experienced poverty and hardship firsthand.
Despite facing numerous challenges, including violence, lack of access to education, and limited opportunities, he managed to overcome these obstacles and pursue his dreams.
In 2004, he founded SHOFCO, a grassroots movement that aims to combat poverty and inequality by providing essential services such as education, healthcare, and clean water to slum residents across Kenya.
The organization also focuses on community organizing, women's empowerment, and advocacy for social justice.
SHOFCO is currently operating in over 33 counties in Kenya, impacting over three million lives, and in 2018 became the youngest-ever organization to receive the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the world’s largest humanitarian prize awarded to non–profits that have made extraordinary contributions to alleviate human suffering.
