Stories of Progress
Expanding Impact While Staying True to the MissionBoard Treasurer, Francis Kibet, discusses how CFK furthered its mission while expanding its impact during 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes that CFK's model and programs will only continue to grow.
Addressing Youth Unemployment & Environmental PollutionVictorious Craft Group employs youth to turn waste into valuable products. After connecting with CFK's Entrepreneurship & Economic Development program, they were able to hire more youth and increase their impact.
CFK Named Finalist for 2020 .ORG Impact AwardsCarolina for Kibera (CFK) is pleased to announce that we have been selected as a finalist for the 2020 .ORG Impact Awards. Winners will be announced during a 10-day event beginning November 30.
Using Data to Drive PurposeCurrent Board Member, Claire Rotich, grew up in Kenya but learned about CFK after re-connecting with a family friend in North Carolina. She is an advocate for using data to inform, strengthen, and center programs.
Emphasizing the Importance of Mental HealthBy integrating mental health services into existing CFK programs, psychological counselor, Elmard Rigan, hopes to help debunk myths and address the stigma surrounding the topic.
Angaza Alumni Support Home Learning Initiatives During COVID-19Though students are facing many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, CFK's Angaza program and alumni network have supported their abilities to continue learning at home.
Tabitha Maternity Home: Celebrating One Year of Service in KiberaCFK's Tabitha Maternity Home celebrated one year of service in Kibera and introduced its first-ever ambulance, which will provide affordable, accessible emergency transportation for Kibera residents.
Sacrificing for Success: A Tribute to Tabitha FestoWith $26, a personal sacrifice, and a fierce commitment to serving her community, Tabitha Festo, a Kiberan nurse, laid the foundation for CFK in 2000 when she opened a 24/7 clinic attached to her home.
Championing Affordable Access to Quality HealthcareThe daughter of the late CFK co-founder Tabitha Festo, Joy Barnice Henry is committed to upholding Tabitha's legacy and championing affordable healthcare through the same clinic her mother started in 2001.
Expanding Access to Education in Kibera and BeyondA bright kid with a passion for service, Joshua Omweno received an Angaza scholarship in 2011. Six years later, he began leading the very same program that had given him the opportunity to pursue higher education.
Creating Global AmbassadorsIn 1999, CFK co-founder, Rye Barcott, walked into Jennifer Coffman’s office with a drive to make a difference. Neither of them knew that their conversation would lay the foundation for CFK a few years later.
Three Fundraisers, One Common GoalFrom running one mile per day to writing a memoir to establishing and raising money for a program, three of our supporters, each from a different country, adopted creative approaches to fundraising.
The Power of Positive Communication During the COVID-19 PandemicMitigating the COVID-19 pandemic requires community buy-in and cooperation. Positive communication strategies can help and are a critical part of an effective response.
On the Ground: Young People Perform Vital Work on the Frontlines of COVID-19 Response in KiberaYoung people in Kibera are creative, innovative, and energetic and have devised ways to ensure continued health and education services in Kibera during the pandemic.
Thinking Beyond Education to Empower CommunitiesGrowing up in Kibera, Board Member, Dickson Omondi, developed an appreciation for development work and an in-depth understanding of the complex challenges facing his community.
Improving Healthcare & Serving HumanityWorking across four different health facilities has its challenges, but our Primary Healthcare Manager, Eddah Ogogo, has learned how to manage diverse groups and implement effective individualized approaches.
CFK Healthcare Staff Featured as Frontline HeroesWhile the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create new healthcare challenges and exacerbate existing ones, CFK staff are on the frontlines continuing to provide quality healthcare and support the Kibera community.
COVID-19 Response: Healthcare FacilitiesAt CFK, we are taking action to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic in Kibera while continuing to maintain critical healthcare services. CFK Primary Healthcare Manager, Eddah Ogogo, summarizes CFK's response.
COVID-19 Response: Girls EmpowermentEmergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic compound existing inequalities, and women and girls often suffer the most. CFK Partnerships Manager, Ann Kungu, discusses how CFK continues to support women and girls.
COVID-19 Response: Youth Education & LivelihoodsCOVID-19 has exacerbated the challenges faced by youth in Kibera, but CFK is continuing to provide support. CFK Education & Livelihoods Program Coordinator, Jeffrey Okoro, summarizes our response.
Staff Highlight: Transforming EducationJeffrey Okoro is a model for how education can transform a life, and his Best Schools Initiative (BSI) embodies CFK's research platform and participatory development approach.
Summer 2020 Fellows & Interns Tackle Projects Remotely This SummerDespite the coronavirus, CFK is engaging with young researchers in a remote capacity during the summer of 2020. Introducing this year's fellows and interns.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – COVID 19 ResponseCFK Community Health Volunteers Clinic staff received training from the CDC are putting that training to work debunking myths and promoting positive hygiene education throughout the community during COVID-19.
CFK’s Faces of Brighter Futures | Eunice’s StoryEunice, a teenage mother and participant of CFK's Girls Empowerment Program, shares her reborn aspirations of taking journalism classes after she passes the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.
Celebrating the First Baby of Tabitha Maternity CenterMaternity care in Kibera can be challenging, but the Tabitha Maternity Center welcomed its first baby, Ivan, into the CFK family in September 2019 by offering quality care.
Leave Only Footprints. Create Only Impact.Jaihind Sumal grew up in Nairobi and wrote a memoir, Leave Only Footprints: Indian Migrants in Kenya, about his experiences. He is currently donating 100% of the book's proceeds to CFK.
The Stories of KiberaGuest writer, photographer, and Nairobi native, Janvika Shah, joined our content collection team this summer to help capture some of CFK’s inspiring Stories of Progress.
Peter’s Journey to a Brighter FuturePeter Opiyo found CFK in 2006 and became the first member of his family to graduate from university. He studied Civil Engineering and hopes to use his degree to "making Africa and ultimately the world a better place."
The Beginning of a Dream, Lencer’s StoryLencer Akinyi Onyancha understands the reality of unemployment all too well. She shares her story of navigating Kibera as a mother and a mentor working toward her dream career as a Computer Technician.
To Enjoy the Pursuit of the DreamVelma began her journey with CFK as a single mother with little family support and no career. Now, she feels that she is “finally on the path [she has] always wanted," after finding a job with a local insurance agency.