“For me, foreign aid has a human face and a name. It is Asha, a 17-year-old mother of a 2-year-old boy, who lives in Nairobi Kenya’s large and difficult slum, Kibera. I visited her last summer with my parents. Kibera houses hundreds of thousands of people living in extreme poverty, all within an area roughly the size of Central Park. Residents of Kibera are some of the most dedicated, generous people I’ve met.
My father co-founded the non-governmental organization CFK Africa, formerly Carolina For Kibera, with just $26 while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps 25 years ago. CFK Africa is now a program of UNC-Chapel Hill, which charges no administration fee and sends student and faculty volunteers. These volunteers travel at their own expense, give their time, and receive a life-changing experience serving something larger than themselves.
The mission of CFK Africa aligns closely with that of USAID—to fight extreme poverty. The organization works by developing young leaders through education, sports, and public health. In collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CFK created an infectious disease surveillance platform that identifies and contains outbreaks before they spread.”
Read the full op-ed on Sanity Clause.
