Apply for a life-changing professional experience with CFK Africa.
CFK Africa’s Peacock Fellowship and Gillings Global Health Practicum opportunities offer UNC students the opportunity to apply their skills and talents to participatory research and development in Kenya.
These are immersive, global summer experiences at our office in Nairobi, Kenya. Students work directly with Kenyan staff to strengthen our programs, contribute relevant skills and expertise, implement new strategies, and provide mutual benefit to the organization and student.
1. Peacock Fellowship (2 students): Available to undergraduate and graduate students, the Peacock Fellowship seeks to strengthen CFK programs through research or program development and provides mutual benefit to the organization and fellow. The year-long Fellowship begins in the spring semester with project formulation and collaboration with CFK staff in the US and Kenya. Fellows participate in a pre-departure orientation before traveling to Kenya, and spend at least eight weeks on the ground in the summer. During the following fall semester, fellows complete final reports and engage in campus outreach to raise awareness of CFK’s global impact.
Successful past fellows have had a strong interest in participatory development research models, working in high-poverty communities, and non-profit/NGO work in East Africa. We encourage you to read more about past Peacock Fellows’ experiences below.
CFK aligns the focus of the Peacock Fellowship each year with organizational needs and students’ areas of expertise. In 2026, CFK seeks students with experience in pharmaceutical research and/or journalism, PR, and communications. While these are priority areas, students from other disciplines are welcome to apply for consideration.
Journalism, PR & Communication: The Peacock Fellowship offers students an opportunity to engage with Kenyan slum youth in content creation and public relations at the nexus of global health, youth leadership, education, girls empowerment, and sports. CFK Africa is developing an innovative slum Youth Media Corps to support youth-led content creation. We are seeking creative candidates who will work closely with our staff, collaborators, and Kenyan youth.
Pharmaceutical Research: The Peacock Fellowship offers students an opportunity to engage in impactful global health research and practice with our clinical services team. Fellowship implementation will be guided by CFK needs and may focus on advancing drug quality studies, improving pharmacy processes, and supporting vaccination initiatives to boost uptake through innovative messaging. Fellows may also contribute to strategic research that positions CFK as a trusted leader in affordable pharmacy services within informal settlements—helping shape long-term solutions for equitable healthcare access.
NOTE: CFK Africa provides funding awards that range from $5,000 to $8,000.
Gillings Global Health Practicum (1-2 students): In partnership with the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, CFK provides practicum opportunities for 1-2 rising second-year MPH students. This 8-10 week practicum will be held over the summer, but students will have the opportunity to meet CFK staff in the US and Kenya during their spring semester to prepare for their work in Kenya. CFK staff will identify practicum deliverables such as revised M&E frameworks, mixed-method evaluation tools, program dashboards, and data analysis reports according to program needs.
Successful applicants should be highly independent and self-driven, with cross-cultural communication skills and knowledge of participatory development research models. Applicants with a future career interest in M&E and/or past work or volunteer experience in high-poverty global communities are desirable.
NOTE: UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health provides $5,000 to practicum students.
The Peacock Fellowship is for UNC undergraduate, graduate, or Ph.D. students who can help develop sustainable projects, contribute relevant skills and expertise, or conduct equitable research in collaboration with CFK staff. Students must be returning to UNC the following semester after their summer engagement (i.e., graduating students who matriculate in the Spring of 2025 are not eligible). Gillings Global Health Practicum is for rising second year MPH students with an interest in global health research, monitoring, and evaluation.
Complete the application at this link. This application is open until 11:59 PM ET on January 16, 2026. Any applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Please upload the following supplemental materials with your application submission: resume/CV and a cover letter addressing your specific interests in this fellowship and how it aligns with your future career goals.
For your convenience, you can view a PDF version of the application questions here.
CFK Africa staff from the US and Kenya, as well as past Peacock Fellows, will select fellows. Review criteria include applicant interest areas, past experiences, and future goals, with preference given to those with a demonstrated interest in global health, education, working in informal settlements, East Africa, or one of our other focus areas.
All applicants must possess the ability to work independently, efficiently, and reliably with demonstrated research and cross-cultural communication skills. Although the fellow will further develop their intercultural competency, they must exhibit a high level of cultural sensitivity and self-awareness to work well with others.
Email admin@cfkafrica.org.
UNC Peacock Fellows and Practicum students report that their CFK Africa engagement significantly shaped their career paths, with many serving in impactful roles in public health, clinical health services, government, education, journalism, and philanthropy.
Join our network of globally-minded alumni who remain committed to service.
Peter Dixon, 2004
Kelly Haven, 2005
Jennifer Ingle, 2005
Aaron Charlop-Powers, 2005
Matthew Smith, 2005
Laura Louison, 2006
Amy Maria Nkonge, 2006
Laura Williamson, 2007
Neha Singh, 2007
Alisa Eanes, 2008
Yaniv Barzalai, 2008
Blair Payne, 2008
Alex Loizias, 2009
Taylor Jo Isenberg, 2009
Brendan O’Boyle, 2010
Kevin Diao, 2011
Lindsey Moore, 2011
Kathleen Ellison, 2012
Molly Smith, 2012
Caitlin Kleiboer, 2013
Kai Schwartz, 2013
Brandon Wong, 2014
Courtney Schnefk, 2015
Micaela Arneson, 2016
Jeff Walker, 2017
Carolyn Lamere, 2017
Brooke Bauman, 2017
Ashley Coleman, 2018
Anna DeGrauw, 2018
Rasheca Logendran, 2019
Joselyn Dangler, 2019
Chelsea Leversedge, 2020
Valerie Lucas, 2020
Keerti Kalluru, 2021
Emily Seiger, 2022
Greear Webb, 2022
Mitch Kimber, 2022
Sarah Lebu, 2022
Selah Piper, 2022
Stephanie Momanyi, 2023
Benjamin Bramson, 2024
Mary Feser, 2024
Sarah Cornette, 2025
Huijoo Shon, 2025
Yarded Tadesse, 2025
Anoushka Das, 2025
