CFK Africa is youth-centered and community-aligned.
We envision a future where a generation of healthy, educated, and innovative youth in informal settlements become visionary leaders and change-makers, facilitated by digital connectivity.
Immerse yourself in Still, I Rise: Stories of Resilience from Teenage Mothers in Kenya’s Slums. Book proceeds support our Girls’ Empowerment Program.
On October 10th, we celebrated 25 years of impact in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thank you to our featured speakers and honorees: Siama Yusuf, Charlotte Barcott, Megan Smith, Andi Fuentes, the Sall Family, Brett Bullington, and Binaifer Nowrojee. And thank you to all of our guests for supporting our next chapter where we will connect one million youth to empowering opportunities.
Still, I Rise is a collection of stories told by 28 teen mothers living in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest slums. The teens write about overcoming barriers and returning to school with support from CFK’s Funzo Project. Read their powerful stories and spread their messages. Proceeds benefit CFK’s Girls’ Empowerment program.
"For some girls in Kajiado, other people start deciding their futures long...
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"There was a need for something that could have an impact on...
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"By working together, we can create stronger referral pathways and achieve greater...
Read MoreWe are committed to connecting talented slum youth to opportunities. Our approach confronts the most critical obstacles at each stage of life, from poor childhood nutrition to lack of education and gainful employment.
We remove barriers to accessing quality health care.
We equip youth with education, employment, and advocacy skills.
We bring together partners to tackle community challenges.
CFK Africa is locally led. Since our founding in 2001, our participatory development approach has been rooted in the conviction that sustainable impact and solutions to poverty are only possible when the communities most affected are the real change-makers.
We engage community advisory boards, hold feedback sessions, and strengthen collaborations with like-minded organizations, building trust and credibility essential to the success of our programs.
With over two decades of work in our communities, CFK Africa has a proven track record of leading change.
community members served annually.
years of experience working in slums.
of Kenya’s population is < 35 representing power and promise.
UPDATE: If you missed the interview live, catch the replay here: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2026/10/22/still-i-rise-essays Need a lunch break? Tune in at 1:20PM EST: https://www.wbur.org/ways-to-listen. Siama Yusuf and Charlotte Barcott, co-editors of Still, I Rise: Stories of Resilience from Teenage Mothers in Kenya's Slums, join Lisa Mullins of WBUR 90.9 FM NPR's Here & Now to chat about the book. #youthempowerment #teenmoms #LiveNews #CFKAfrica #GlobalDevelopment
Three months after training our mentor coaches, we returned to #Mathare to see what those lessons look like in practice. #CFKAfrica’s Value-Based Sports team observed coaches in action, seeing how they are applying what they learned and where they still need support. The visit gave us a clearer picture of what is working, what is challenging, and how we can strengthen the program so values like teamwork, respect, discipline and inclusion are not only taught, but practised through sport. #ValueBasedSports #YouthEmpowerment
#CFKAfrica believes that survivor-centered justice starts with the initial response. Through our #GirlsEmpowerment program, we have trained Gender Desk Officers on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Technology-Facilitated GBV. The training emphasized respectful support for survivors, stronger referral pathways, and addressing practical challenges. A survivor-focused justice system begins with the first point of reporting. #EndGBV #SurvivorCentered #TFGBV
