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The News from the Network section of IdealistOnCampus.org is a space to highlight the interesting and innovative programs, people and events connected with the Idealist On Campus Community. As a resource for the rest of our constituency, these individuals and organizations who have made a tremendous impact are invited to share how they've turned a concept into reality and continue to work each day to build a better world.

Carolina for Kibera Inc. (CFK)
By Aaron Charlop-Powers

You do something, we do something. You do nothing, we do nothing.

While this motto might sound akin to a Godfather proposition, it is actually one of the often-used phrases of Rye Barcott, founder of Carolina for Kibera (kih-BER-ah), Inc., a non-governmental organization based in Nairobi, Kenya. Founded in 2001, CFK is entering its fifth year of operation stronger, more optimistic, and better-funded than ever. Currently, CFK operates a sports council serving thousands of local youth, a women's rights peer education group for girls ages 12-18, and a community-based clinic run on a sliding scale.

Originally, CFK's office was in Rye's book bag; today, there is a two-hall compound. Rye first traveled to Kibera, east Africa's largest slum, as an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He went to do research on ethnic gang violence, a feature of Kiberan life that, while not nearly as pervasive as the media portrays, is a problem. Kibera, situated on less than two square miles, is home to roughly 800,000 people, and like in any other place in the world, neighbors have conflicts. But, due to population density, political exploitation, and sky-high unemployment, many residents teeter tenuously on a high-wire of survival.

Rye founded CFK with the vision of helping a community to help itself. He raised funds, established a board, created a website, and recruited reliable people. Initially, he was seen as an overly-ambitious undergrad with good ideas but neither the funding nor the expertise to execute his vision. However, he registered as a campus organization, recruited the institutional help of the University Center for International Studies, and recruited knowledgeable people for a governing board. Through hard work, good judgment, intrepid leadership and the maturity to learn from mistakes, Rye and his colleagues established the organization. Above all, there is an unwavering belief among the CFK family that the know-how, knowledge, and ability to ignite change are located within the community, not in boardrooms or textbooks. The organization abides by this goal.

And it is working. I spent two and half months in Kibera during the summer of 2005 and CFK's programs are truly impacting its residents. In the largest city between Cape Town and Cairo, where white NGO Range Rovers rival the country's cheetah population, CFK is not in the business of giving handouts; their work is sustainable, community-based and fun.

After meeting Salim Mohamed, a native of Mathare slum (a violent slum on the opposite side of Nairobi), and seeing the work of Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA), Rye convinced Salim to join him in setting up a similar program in Kibera. In so doing, Rye was able to balance his knowledge with Salim's, establishing the ability to better relate to the community. The sports council was born out of this partnership and continues to echo the partnership to this day; in order to compete in the CFK soccer tournament, each team had to have two children from each of the major tribes in Kibera. In addition, a team would be docked points in the rankings if the entire roster did not participate in three community clean-ups.

While in Kibera, Rye also met Tabitha Atieno Festo, a woman he wouldn't soon forget. On his last day, Tabitha asked Rye for a little money. In Kibera, the assumption is often that white people have money, and Rye was used to being solicited. He gave her $26, all the money he had on him.

When Rye returned to Kibera the next summer, Tabitha had started a health clinic. Waking up before sunrise each morning, Tabitha would journey to downtown Nairobi to buy vegetables at wholesale price. Then, she would sell the vegetables at a mark-up. With the money she was able to save, she started the clinic that, after her passing from HIV/AIDS, is now named after her.

CFK has few secrets. The founder has raised money, surrounded himself with good people, written grants, remained humble, accepted good advice, and sold the idea to whomever would listen. Above all, Rye and the rest of the staff have remained uncompromising in their commitment to remain in the community.

For further information email thelastcp@gmail.com or see http://cfk.unc.edu.