SHOFCO, Homa Bay County launch safehouse to battle GBV

The fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Homa Bay County has received a boost following the opening of a new safehouse in Ndhiwa, established through a partnership between Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) and the Homa Bay County Government.

The Ndhiwa Safehouse will provide emergency shelter, trauma counselling and legal support to survivors of domestic and sexual violence in a county that consistently records high prevalence rates.

Data from the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey shows that 54% of women aged 15–49 in Homa Bay have experienced physical violence, while 23% have faced sexual violence, ranking the county among the highest nationally.

Governor Gladys Wanga said the facility fills a long-standing gap in survivor protection. “This facility is a lifeline for our daughters, mothers and families who have too often suffered in silence,” she said.

She added that the county is prioritising prevention and support, urging residents to reject stigma: “This safehouse is not just a building. It is our commitment that no survivor of violence should ever be left alone, unsafe or unheard.”

The safehouse stems from a partnership formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in August 2024. SHOFCO Founder and CEO Dr. Kennedy Odede said the initiative highlights the impact of collaborative efforts.

“This safehouse sends a clear message that violence has no place in our homes or communities,” he said. “When survivors find shelter, they also find hope, and hope can transform lives.”

Gender Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe, who officiated the opening, said the centre responds to a critical need in a county where GBV levels remain significantly above the national average.

"These numbers represent real women and girls whose lives, dignity and futures have been disrupted,” she said.

She praised SHOFCO for fully funding and implementing the project and noted that the government is strengthening national response systems, including constructing more protection centres and reviewing legislation governing shelters.

“Every survivor who walks through these doors must know they are believed, protected and not alone,” she added.

Dr. Odede further noted that the safehouse will operate within a multisectoral response model, linking survivors to police, psychosocial support and legal services.

He said SHOFCO has also offered scholarships to 320 needy students in Homa Bay, most of them teenage mothers.