Written by CFK Africa Youth Leaders Vallary, Regarne, and Mercy.
Dear CFK Africa Community,
Jambo from Kibera.
Coming from Kenya’s largest slum, we have a lot to share with the world about our life experiences. We have lived through many hardships, but we have also learned to be resourceful, creative, and resilient.
Through CFK Africa’s programs, we’ve learned skills, received training, found mentors, and developed a commitment to paying it forward.
I am Vallary and I am 19 years old. I joined CFK Africa’s Girls Empowerment Program after dropping out of school as a teenage mother. I’ve learned about reproductive health, my self-worth, and leadership. Today, I am back in school in form two at Olympic High School in Kibera, and my grades are improving – I am rewriting my story.
I am Regarne. I live in Kibera. I used to spend days hustling for casual jobs. Through CFK Africa’s TechCraft Program, I trained in electrical installation and now have steady work. The journey has been really good. I’ve been promoted to construction site supervisor and am proud to earn a living that supports my family. The TechCraft program has really helped many youths, and it should continue to help many more.
I am Mercy. I thought that my education would end at elementary school. With the support of CFK Africa’s Lux Sit & Jim Rogers Scholarships, I graduated from high school and am now pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Management and Development at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, something that many young girls from Kibera only dream of. As a scholarship student during the holidays, CFK led study camps and community service activities where I developed my communication skills and learned how to build networks. CFK provides more than a scholarship, it builds leaders, and not just leaders but leaders of impact.
We are not alone. There are thousands of other aspiring youth like us who are talented but need opportunity and guidance to get started. They are our friends, our brothers and sisters, and our neighbors.
We rely on CFK Africa as a stable, trusted resource in our community. Every donation to CFK Africa directly supports programs that change many lives like ours.
Thank you for believing in us, the future of Kenya. We hope you will continue to support CFK Africa and us this holiday season.
Asante sana (thank you very much),
CFK Africa Youth Leaders
