Social Development through Community Action (SODECA) was born from the conviction that communities should never have to endure poverty, violence, and exclusion in silence. It began as the response of a small group of grassroots human rights and health activists in Kenya who saw, firsthand, how structural violence, gender inequality, human rights violations, and persistent abuse were shaping the lives of poor, vulnerable, and marginalised people.
What united these pioneers was not only concern, but action. They were driven by the daily realities faced by young people and communities living under the weight of arbitrary arrest, torture, detention without trial, police brutality, and other forms of injustice that deny people their dignity and limit their ability to thrive. SODECA emerged as a community-rooted organisation determined to confront these harms with courage, solidarity, and practical support.
At the heart of SODECA’s work is the belief that social justice is inseparable from human dignity, public health, and inclusive development. Just as strong systems can help communities build resilience and lasting progress, SODECA seeks to strengthen the capacity of ordinary people to claim their rights, protect one another, and participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives. Its approach recognises that poverty is not only an economic condition, but also a social injustice that deepens vulnerability and makes abuse easier to ignore.
SODECA’s mission speaks to the power of organised communities to transform hardship into hope. By centering the experiences of those most affected, the organisation works to create spaces where women, young people, and other marginalised groups can be heard, supported, and empowered. In this way, SODECA becomes more than an organisation; it becomes a movement for accountability, healing, and community-led change.
The vision behind SODECA is clear: a just society where every person can live free from fear, discrimination, and violence. That vision is sustained by the same principle that drives the strongest community institutions everywhere: when people are equipped, trusted, and included, they can turn adversity into lasting progress.
Being a mentor, funding a program, filling in a skills gap all goes a long way to impacting our communities. Help make real change to the lives of young people by donating today.
Discover why millions of people still live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene, and what WaterAid is doing to ensure they have lasting access.
Discover why millions of people still live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene, and what WaterAid is doing to ensure they have lasting access.
Discover why millions of people still live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene, and what WaterAid is doing to ensure they have lasting access.
