Kicking AIDS Out of Kibera slum - Nairobi, Kenya

The end of November meant it was time for the annual “CFK Day” in Kibera. The main objective of this day is to recognize and reward all of the committed teams, groups and individuals who dedicate their time to CFK activities throughout the year.

This year’s celebration was attended by more than 5000 youth representing each CFK program as well as many other organizations and initiatives within in the slum. Throughout the week, peer educators were able to recruit 114 young people for VCT services through individual talks and group sessions at the soccer fields. On the actual day, the youth of the Sports Program held a procession through the slum with banners reading “Tuliza Amani Mtaani,” or “We Want Peace in Kibera.” Over 1000 youth made the 4km hike as part of the parade!

The Kicking Aids Out groups have been conducting regular outreaches in the community on the weekends, visiting a Kibera village, and normally a football field where matches are taking place, rounding up a group of young people and playing a few games with them, which demonstrate sports skills, and then relating those sports skills to life skills.

In addition to KAO’s own community forum this quarter, CFK also held a community forum through “CFK Day” in which youth from all programs participated in the reading of poems and narratives as well as the performance of dances and skits. Throughout the day youth were rewarded with uniforms, balls and other soccer equipment, as well as school uniforms, books and pens. Finally, CFK also conducted an awards ceremony in which Provost Leadership Awards were awarded to emerging young leaders within the community.

According to our Executive Director, “it was a day of fun that went from 7am to 9pm”!

As always, we welcome your comments and feedback. On behalf of the youth, staff, and volunteers of Carolina for Kibera, thank you all for your support! Without your generosity, our work would not be possible.