Shofco donates tractors worth Sh10.5 million to Navakholo farmers

At least 100,000 residents of Navakholo in Kakamega County have benefited from Sh10.5 million farm equipment that will see them pay less while preparing their farms for planting.

This is after Shining Hope for Communities (Shofco) donated three new tractors worth Sh10.5 million and another Sh4 million for purchasing a 4.2-acre parcel of land.  

Shofco founder and chief executive officer Dr Kennedy Odede said the move seeks to help Shofco Urban Network (SUN) members to reduce costs they incur when preparing their farms for planting.

For instance, he said, it costs Sh4,000 to plough a one-acre parcel of land but the tractors will do a similar job at Sh2,000 for the SUN members.

“The farmers told me it was expensive to hire tractors to till their farms. So, we decided to buy these tractors for them to use at a cheaper cost. I urge them to put the machines to good use,” said Dr Odede.

The Shofco boss said the new parcel of land will be used for agricultural activities, water spring, recreation centre, residential houses among other revenue generating activities.

“We shall also drill a borehole on the land to produce water to serve the local community,” he stated.

The residents praised the organisation for the move, saying it will boost their farming.

“We have been suffering a lot due to exorbitant charges by tractors owned by individuals and the county government. We shall save a lot,” Stephen Tsuma, Navakholo Sub-County SUN chairman, said.

Ms Jackline Shimoli, another community member, said Shofco was transforming the lives of the locals since its expansion to Kakamega and other parts of the Western region.

“We only used to hear how the organisation changed lives of people in Kibera where it originated but we are now witnesses. We urge the organisation to continue supporting us,” she said.

The event in Malinya was attended by several national government representatives among them National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) commissioner Dorcas Kedogo and Malinya Chief Andrew Hesabu who represented Kakamega South Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner George Mayama.

Shofco, founded in 2004 in Kibera, reaches three million people in 15 counties across the country as it continues to spread its wings across Kenya with plans to cover 30 counties in the next five years.

Dr Odede pointed out that the organization champions community-led change that is premised on uplifting the lives of slum dwellers.

“We must recognise the talents that exist in marginalised communities and unlock this potential to drive social change,” he said.

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