Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) provides free education for girls and a network of empowerment and poverty alleviation programs in one of Africa's largest slums: the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. SHOFCO's innovative model combats extreme poverty and champions gender equality by linking tuition-free schools for girls to desperately needed community services accessible to all-- including healthcare, clean water and sanitation, adult education, gender violence support and more. Join us!
Educating a girl in places like Kibera means she will earn more, invest 90% of her earnings in her family, be 3 times less likely to become HIV positive, and have fewer, healthier children more likely to live past age 5.
The Kibera School for Girls is the first entirely free primary school for girls in Kibera. Girls at the school are given free uniforms and supplies, healthy meals, quality health care, access to clean water and toilet facilities, and counseling and psychosocial support. In addition to the Kibera School for Girls, Shining Hope also provides health and social services to the Kibera community as a whole through our clinic and community center.
This model of linking health care and community services to a school for girls is the key to reversing the cycle of poverty. Through this model we can provide a healthier, more secure life for our students and their families, change entrenched gender attitudes in Kibera, and inspire the community to lead change for themselves.
