CFK Africa pioneers development models enabling youth to drive change and thrive
NAIROBI, KENYA — In honor of International Youth Day on Monday, Aug. 12, leading NGO CFK Africa highlights four ways to empower youth in informal settlements in Kenya and worldwide, including leadership and education initiatives that nurture them and highlight their boundless potential. This globally celebrated day is designated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the challenges surrounding the next generation.
“The problems faced by young people today are the problems faced by everyone tomorrow,” said CFK Africa Executive Director Jeffrey Okoro. “On International Youth Day, we must all take a moment to think critically about how we can support youth in our communities and remove barriers that hinder their success, enabling them to build healthy and vibrant lives.”
The organization emphasizes four models to support young people in informal settlements, where residents live in extreme poverty and lack access to quality healthcare and education, proper nutrition, and adequate sanitation, making them susceptible to preventable diseases and other poor health outcomes.
- Empowering girls. Girls and young women in informal settlements face challenges such as violence against women, teenage pregnancy, early marriage, and inequitable access to education. CFK Africa’s Girls Empowerment programs, such as its Girls Parliament initiative, advocate for issues that young girls and adolescents care about the most by amplifying their voices through leadership training and mentorship.
- Engaging youth through sports. Sports are a powerful tool for fostering social change and youth development in informal settlement communities worldwide. Engaging young people in team-based sports fosters teamwork, youth leadership, integrity, community cooperation, and gender equality. CFK Africa’s community youth soccer programs serve as a gateway to connect youth to services, including healthcare, education, and economic opportunity, and provide an advocacy platform for its professional Kibera Soccer Women Football Club to promote girls’ empowerment and social change.
- Increasing employment opportunities. Kenyan youth make up over 75 percent of the population yet face high levels of unemployment. Recognizing these issues, CFK Africa’s new TechCraft project is developing the youth workforce from informal settlements in Kenya and connecting them with jobs in tech and skilled trades. TechCraft prepares young people for jobs in information technology, artisanal crafts jobs such as sewing and jewelry making, and skilled trade jobs such as mechanics and electricians, increasing their lifetime earning potential.
- Improving mental health. Mental health is a public health issue in informal settlements due to ongoing stress and a lack of resources and opportunities. CFK Africa offers mental health services for young people at its Youth Friendly Services Center in Kibera, Kenya’s largest informal settlement, and through its network of Youth Peer Providers, who offer individual support. Services include health camps, counseling, and group psychosocial support.
“Supporting young people on the journey to improve their mental health, increase gender equity, and land good jobs will set them on a path to a brighter future,” added Okoro. “Programs like these are essential to ensure they rise above the challenges of living in an informal settlement and thrive.”
About CFK Africa
Founded in 2001, CFK Africa works to improve public health and economic prosperity in informal settlements in Kenya through integrated health and youth leadership initiatives. Using a participatory development approach, the organization works directly with community residents to develop and implement sustainable programs. After marking 20 years of service in Kibera in 2021, CFK began expanding to 25 informal settlements across eight counties in Kenya, including Kajiado, Kiambu, Kilifi, Kisumu, Machakos, Mombasa, Nairobi and Nakuru. For more information, visit
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
