Written by Emma Harver, Deputy Director
CFK Africa welcomes three Peacock Fellows this summer to apply their learning to real-world challenges in Kibera, Kenya. These talented UNC-Chapel Hill students will work alongside our team to improve community health, innovate digital youth-centered media, support clinical quality improvement, and advance event-based surveillance.
Meet our impressive 2026 Peacock Fellows:
Khadija Lulu Muhammad is a Master of Public Health (MPH) student in Health Policy and Management in UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her research interests center on community-based program evaluation, with a focus on policy-driven solutions to improve access to care in underserved populations. With prior experience as an AmeriCorps VISTA with PORCH in Chapel Hill to improve health outcomes and long-term community well-being by addressing food insecurity, Khadija will conduct data collection and analysis related to CFK’s gender-based violence prevention and youth development initiatives, create data visualization tools, and support community-based research.
“I am most looking forward to engaging directly with communities in Kibera and contributing to data-driven, culturally responsive programs that address health and social inequities. Growing up in Kenya, this opportunity allows me to return to a community context that feels deeply familiar while contributing to meaningful, locally driven solutions that address health and social inequities.”
Se Yeon Erin Lim is a student in the Master of Public Health, Global Health Concentration in UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. With a background in international relations and public policy, her research interests focus on humanitarian health and protection in informal and crisis-affected settings, with an emphasis on displaced populations, maternal and child health, and community-driven interventions. Through her fellowship experience with CFK, Erin will support community-based health initiatives and explore approaches to strengthening health systems in Kibera, as well as innovating youth-centered digital communications.
“I am most looking forward to working directly in Kibera and learning from how communities navigate health and protection challenges in complex urban settings. I’m especially interested in how locally driven approaches can strengthen access to care and address structural vulnerabilities.”
Hannan Canada is a student in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) in Community Global Public Health with a Chemistry minor. Her research interests include infectious diseases like malaria, health equity, and the development and response to public health challenges, particularly in resource-limited settings. As a Peacock Fellow, Hannan will support CFK’s event-based surveillance work, co-design an evaluation of the current EBS system, and analyze both quantitative data, such as reported and verified disease signals, and qualitative insights from Community Health Promoters. Hannan will also support quality improvement efforts, including patient satisfaction surveys, community scorecards, and feedback from clinical staff.
“I am looking forward to both contributing to and learning from event-based disease surveillance systems in informal international settings.”
Global Tar Heels lead lasting impact – and CFK’s 25 years of service in Kibera is proof. What began in 2001 as a humble health clinic and youth soccer program by UNC student Rye Barcott and two Kenyan community leaders has grown into an internationally recognized organization advancing youth empowerment and community health in slums. Today, CFK remains a proud UNC affiliate and serves 200,000+ community members annually, while providing UNC students with immersive learning experiences.
CFK Africa’s fellowship experience is made possible by James Peacock and his late wife, Florence Peacock, whose support helped launch the hands-on service-learning opportunities in Kenya that have engaged over 45 students over the past two decades. Fellows consistently describe the experience as pivotal, influencing careers committed to public health, medicine, government, and education. We appreciate partners like the Gillings School of Global Public Health for continuing this legacy of engagement, with collaborative opportunities for Master of Public Health students interested in research, monitoring, and evaluation to conduct their practicum with CFK.
We can’t wait to showcase the meaningful contributions these ambitious and talented fellows will make during their CFK experience.