Kennedy Odede, founder and CEO of Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), has made history by becoming the first Kenyan man to receive the 2025 Nelson Mandela Prize at the UN General Assembly Hall in New York on July 18.

• Odede's organization provides essential services to over 2.4 million people annually across Kenya.
• The award recognizes leaders embodying Nelson Mandela's legacy of reconciliation and social justice.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised Odede's commitment to uniting communities and improving lives.