Kenyan social entrepreneur Kennedy Odede has been named the 2025 United Nations Nelson Mandela Prize winner.
The prestigious global honour is awarded to individuals who have shown exceptional commitment to serving humanity through lifelong efforts to promote human rights, social justice, and development.
In Kenya, Odede is a household name thanks to his organisation Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), which has transformed the lives of thousands of people across the country. What began as a small effort to uplift his community has evolved to become a beacon of hope for many in Kenya’s informal settlements.
Odede won the award alongside Brenda Reynolds, a Status Treaty member of the Fishing Lake Saulteaux First Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada. Reynolds has dedicated decades to advancing Indigenous rights, promoting mental health, and championing trauma-informed care, according to the UN.
She is most recognised for her key role in Canada’s court-ordered Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and her subsequent development of the Indian Residential School Resolution Health Support Program—a national initiative offering culturally grounded mental health care for survivors and families.
Having lived in Kenya’s Kibera Slum for 23 years, Odede was subjected to the harsh reality of street life at age 10 before rising to global recognition, having also been named one of TIME magazine’s 2024 100 Most Influential People.
His story began with a small but significant gesture: saving part of his wages, when he worked in a factory, to buy a football and bring his neighbours together. That simple act laid the foundation for SHOFCO, which now operates in 68 locations across Kenya, delivering essential services to over 2.4 million people every year.
Odede is also a New York Times bestselling co-author and a respected voice on global platforms such as USAID, the World Economic Forum, the Obama Foundation, and the Clinton Global Initiative, with his work continuing to inspire new models of urban transformation grounded in local leadership.
SHOFCO’s achievements include its aerial clean water system that brings safe drinking water to dense slums, free education for girls, healthcare centres, and a rapid gender-based atrocity response program.
Through the SHOFCO Urban Network (SUN), over 2 million Kenyans are mobilised to drive change in their communities, proving that sustainable development is possible when people are empowered to lead.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres will present the award to Odede and Reynolds on July 18, on the Nelson Mandela International Day.
Established in 2014, the prize is awarded every five years to two individuals whose work reflects the late South African President’s legacy of leadership, humility, service, and unity across borders.
“This year’s Mandela prize winners embody the spirit of unity and possibility – reminding us how we all have the power to shape stronger communities and a better world,” said Guterres ahead of the awaited day.
