Eunice is in 5^th grade at the Kibera School for Girls, and she is fiercely smart and creative. She lives in Kibera with her brother and parents, who grapple each day with challenges such as unemployment, high crime rates and poverty that are inherent in urban settlements. The challenging circumstances of Eunice’s childhood influenced her decision to become a doctor one day in order to give back to her community by serving the people of Kibera. She deeply believes in her dreams, and commands attention when she verbosely expresses herself and her ambitions.

The International Day of the Girl provides a vital opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made globally for girls, and the distance we still need to travel. This year we witnessed unprecedented coverage of the many issues that girls face. Powerful public discussions have emerged in influential worldwide institutions; from the UN, to college campuses, to social media, the fight for the rights of women and girls is becoming more pressing and imperative.

Despite this amazing progress, 2014 has also been devastating in many ways. We witnessed the horrific kidnapping of the 276 female students in Nigeria who to our dismay have yet to be returned. Female Genital Mutilation remains high in many countries— in Somalia, for example, 98 percent of women between the ages of 15-49 are genitally mutilated. Violence against women and girls still plagues homes, communities, and nations. These issues continue to give the world a powerful call to action.

At Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), we have fully embraced that call. I started SHOFCO in 2004 as a grassroots urban movement that could lift the status of women through the meaningful participation of all members of the community. I grew up in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, and I witnessed the devastating abuse that women like my mother and sisters endured simply for being women. I knew that something could, and had to, be done to stop the cycles of oppression and stifle progress for us all.

I wanted our movement to be multi-faceted, homegrown, and hopeful. Therefore, SHOFCO combats gender inequality and urban poverty in Kenya by establishing free girls’ schools and linking them to holistic social services open to all. SHOFCO works to alleviate the elements in informal settlements that create vulnerability by providing provides a safe and nurturing environment in which to seek education, health, sanitation, and economic empowerment services.

Students who are in abusive or unsafe situations, for example, can move to our safe house where they will be fully cared for and protected. Social workers at our gender-based violence response center work closely with each survivor to provide her with healthcare and economic empowerment opportunities, as well as forge a path to justice in the courts. SHOFCO’s holistic approach creates lasting and sustainable change rather than haphazard, short-term solutions.

Our beneficiaries are not only receiving services they need, they are thriving. 100 percent of second grade students at the Kibera School for Girls (KSG) read at or above grade level, compared to roughly 28.5 percent of literate second graders across Kenya. Absenteeism is less than one percent. Mothers who have a daughter at KSG are 18% more likely than other married women in Kenya to either be the sole decision-makers of household finances, or to equally share this responsibility with their husbands. The girls we teach and the women we serve are empowered, savvy, and hopeful for their futures. These are girls like Eunice Akoth.

Eunice’s spirit shines each day at the Kibera School for Girls. On October 11^th, we celebrate Eunice and every girl around the world. If you are in New York City, we welcome you to our Day of the Girl Event. We celebrate their dreams, their gumption, their bravery and joy. We hope the world will join us.

About the blogger:

Kennedy Odede is one of Africa’s best-known community organizers and social entrepreneurs. He was raised in Kibera, the largest urban slum in Africa, and while working at a factory in 2004, Kennedy saved 20 cents, purchased a soccer ball, and started Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO). Kennedy was awarded the 2010 Echoing Green Fellowship, won the 2010 Dell Social Innovation Competition, wrote two Op-Eds that appeared in the New York Times, was named one of Forbes’ 2014 30 Under 30: Social Entrepreneurs, and is a member of the Clinton Global Initiative. He splits his time between Nairobi and New York City.