Roots that Run: Coach Training in Kiambu
Written by Ben Bramson, CFK Africa 2024 Peacock Fellow and undergraduate student studying religion, pre-medicine, and conflict management at the University of North Carolina, Chapel
August 6, 2024
Local leaders drive equitable development
Informal settlements are home to millions of people with essential skills and entrepreneurial drive, but cycles of poverty and poor educational outcomes are continually fueled by:
Though Kenya has one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa, thousands of students drop out of school every year, and job opportunities in the formal sector remain unevenly distributed across the population.
At CFK Africa, we believe that informal settlements are home to some of the most resilient, creative, and entrepreneurial people in the world. We work closely with community members to develop local leadership, strengthen economic resilience, and improve school quality and educational outcomes for students living in informal settlements.
Our education and livelihoods work falls under two key focus areas.
The path to success looks different for everyone, so we provide opportunities for young people both in and out of the classroom, helping them to complete elementary school, pursue higher education, develop leadership skills, enter competitively into the job market, and start their own businesses. We also partner with schools to implement best practices that improve the quality of learning for all students and lead to stronger educational outcomes.
100% of our most recent class of graduating scholarship recipients qualified to pursue further education at colleges and universities.
Meet one of our young leaders
Twenty-year-old Elkhana Mboya Akoko is a brilliant young man and CFK Africa scholarship alumnus who was born and raised in the Olympic area in Kibera. He was accepted to Elmhurst University in Illinois to pursue a major in nursing and a minor in occupational therapy.
“I chose to study nursing because I want to serve the community of Kibera just like CFK Africa does and help improve the health of the community in Kibera.”
Scholarships
Work Readiness Training
School Improvement
Best Schools Initiative
Scholarships
We provide scholarships that help students cover the cost of school fees and engage them with activities outside of the classroom, including mentorship, leadership training, career guidance, field trips, and community service, empowering them to raise their career aspirations and plan for their futures.
Our Lux Sit & Jim Rogers Scholarship Program provide sustainable funding so students have the opportunity to complete secondary school and pursue further education.
Work Readiness Training
We engage youth in formal, vocational, and skill-development training opportunities, preparing them to enter into competitively in the job market, start their own businesses, or pursue further education.
School Improvement
We help improve the quality of public schools by supporting them with key resources such as textbooks and handwashing stations.
Best Schools Initiative
We improve student attendance and academic success in informal schools through data-driven best practices. The initiative has impacted more than 3,000 children to date.
Due to the highly competitive nature of Kenya’s formal job market, most residents of informal settlements are employed in the informal sector and often have unstable incomes.
By promoting a strong financial management culture and improving the quality and ease of doing business in informal settlements, CFK Africa helps households develop budgets and create more income-generating opportunities, leading to greater economic stability for themselves and their families.
Victorious Craft Group
Founded by youth in Kibera in 2015, Victorious Craft Group helps address environmental pollution and combat high youth unemployment by repurposing waste bones into products ranging from necklaces and bracelets to hair clips and tea spoons. The group connected with CFK Africa’s Education and Livelihoods initiatives to access training on leadership, financial literacy, life skills, employability skills, and business development. Our team also linked participants to various opportunities, including a microfinance institution.
Economic Advancement
Financial Management
Economic Advancement
We help community members achieve greater financial stability by engaging households in business and entrepreneurship training, connecting them to funding opportunities, and lobbying for government inclusion of vulnerable groups in business loans or grants.
Financial Management
We train community members on best practices in financial management, equipping them with the skills to budget for their needs and save money.
current CFK Africa scholarship recipients
of our most recent graduating class qualified to study at the university level
youth prepared for the job market last year
Written by Ben Bramson, CFK Africa 2024 Peacock Fellow and undergraduate student studying religion, pre-medicine, and conflict management at the University of North Carolina, Chapel
From playing in CFK Africa soccer tournaments as a child to being a volunteer conducting STEM sessions with Kibera youth, Andrew Odongo exemplifies CFK Africa’s impact on youth leadership.
“What drives me is my family and my child. I believe in my potential and strive to do better every day.”
CFK Africa is a registered NGO in Kenya and 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the U.S. that improves public health and economic prosperity in informal settlements through participatory research, primary health care, and education.
Website Design by Carrboro Creative
