Changing lives through community engagement shining hope for community-shofco : by James Toya

Nairobi, 10th February 2025.

Whoever said your network is your net worth couldn’t have said it at a better time than now.

Sometimes back in 2017, My daughter who was in her third year in high school got so sick to an extent that she was discontinued from school as we sought medication. As fate would have it, we lost the battle and she rested. May her soul continue resting in peace.

As a father seeing your beloved daughter’s health deteriorate raised a burning desire in me to see to it that she gets better.

That is how I stumbled on Shofco who opened my eyes in how community collective engagement can help transform lives.

By then Shofco was purely a Kariobangi, Mathare Kibra affair.

I took it upon myself to help establish a satellite office in Dagoretti North area of Kawangware. I must thank the vision bearer and the CEO for warmly embracing us and buying my idea of setting up a Dagoretti North/Kawangware satellite /branch office.

Community network is key.

In my many  years of service to the community, I found out that Shofco under the stewardship of Mr Ken Odede the vision bearer was ticking all the boxes that suits what it takes to help serve the community.

Shofco came through during the COVID  19 menace. Our  able CEO trusted me with the singular task of ensuring that our community got water tanks,soap and sanitizers. Iam glad that the initiative helped us a vert a disaster that would have otherwise swept our community here in Dagoretti North.

Sorting out the water menace in slum areas of Nairobi.

My close association with Shofco has opened new fronts on my mind.
Our CEO Ken Odede has proved to us beyond any doubt that you can lead without necessarily being into an elective position.

Personally, I horned my leadership skills long ago first as a goalkeeper and as a captain of my local soccer team in Vihiga and college. There after upon coming to Nairobi, I joined Friends Church Quakers where I assumed a leadership role as a leader in our local church.

These traits catapulted me into community leadership where I have been providing leadership which further propelled me into politics where I vied on ANC in 2017 and in 2022 albeit with little success thanks to the city’s political dynamics.

Shofco an I deal team for growth.…..

Under Shofco we have managed to oversee community  developments.
As a community leader, I have seen several community kids who would  have ended up in drugs and other social deviants go to T vets and acquire skills that are so far life changing

.

Under Shofco, we have sent several young boys and girls to college and have acquired skills that are not only helping them better their lives but also contribute to our growth as a nation.

Whenever I walk in both Dagoretti North and South, I bask in the glory that Shofco has impacted lives and continue to do.

On matters welfare, Shofco has designed a social welfare where members contribute 100/ksh per month which in the event of death, the family of a loved one gets at least 50ksh to help in the final send off rites.  Coming from Western Kenya, giving your loved one a befitting sendoff is key.
This burden has been easened by Shofco.

Besides these, we have been conducting safe drinking water clinics in Kawangware where our lorries deliver safe drinking water.
Besides drinking water, under Shofco we have managed to send several young boys and girls to Tivets which has helped them acquire the much needed vocational training skills essential for the growth of our nation

In conclusion I James Toya wish to persuade all to join Shofco where all our social economic needs shall be addressed.

Above all your network is your net worth.

Lets invest together as a community for divided we fall United we stand.