ShillohCare Foundation was co-founded in 2011 by Janvier Ouko and John Ouko to empower the widows and orphans in Koru and surrounding areas; a vulnerable group that is usually ignored and/or victimized. John and Janvier have been living in the Netherlands for 17 years. They both work for international organizations in the Netherlands but have devoted some of their time and resources to the birth of a vision they hold dear. This great desire was born after the events that took place after the death of Janvier's father in 2005; her mother's experiences as a widow and her own experiences in the absence of a father. Looking back, it has only carried a relentless grit to help those in need!

Koru is a village in Kisumu County in Kenya, Africa with a lot of resources and potential, but is still neglected in terms of poor socio-economic indicators. The region has excellent weather and climate for agriculture and other entrepreneurial developments. Nevertheless, the majority of residents are unemployed and not engaged in income-generating ventures, leading to extreme poverty. The social interaction and participation of women in the local economy have been affected by the high mortality rate of their husbands and their children leaving school for unacceptable activities due to a lack of money to educate them. It is a small village with a very high number of widows.

Because of the community's old-fashioned culture and traditional practices, women and especially widows face unequal access to basic rights and opportunities, leading to a lack of participation in decision-making.

The village has inadequate sanitation facilities; less than half of the population in Koru has access to a safe, private toilet and clean water; the majority, especially in a large slum in the centre of the village (Shauri Yako - translated as "it's up to you") and many households defecate in the open. The village is facing a health emergency as waterborne diseases have affected the population, especially children and women. About 90 per cent of Koru residents use on-site sanitation, mainly latrines with dry wells and less than 3 per cent of people have access to a sewer system. Wastewater continues to contaminate water bodies - rivers and streams used by 80% of the population; this is a double concern for the village that struggles with very high HIV rates and extreme poverty.

According to an article published by "Down to Earth," it is reported that Kenya introduced community-led total sanitation (CLTS) in Kenya in May 2007 and the idea was immediately accepted. The article goes on to say that the Ministry of Health and Sanitation launched a pilot project in the six districts of Nyanza and Western Kenya in 2010. Later, the ministry adopted CLTS as a key strategy at the national level. This led to the launch of the Open defecation campaign (ODF) in Rural Kenya in May 2011. A study published in the East African Medical Journal on the assessment of CLTS in rural areas concluded that it did not result in the expected ODF status. The study cited inadequate monitoring of the process, insufficient funds, and conflicting work demands from government officials. The pace of the CLTS seems to have been lost before it reached Koru!

Providing the widows with information that allows them to make decisions regarding their health and well-being will help them "own" their desired change. SCF will create and provide opportunities for the widows and orphans to acquire the necessary skills training, education and basic rights awareness. and entrepreneurial developments to enable them to build a decent livelihood to support themselves and their families; thus creating a conducive environment for the socio-economic environment.