Carolina for Kibera to Host Speaker

Salim Mohamed, a 25-year-old from Kibera, will speak at 5 p.m. today in Polk Place about his experience and life in Kibera.

Mohamed grew up as an orphan on the streets of Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya. He is now a community mobilizer who encourages other youth to lead, express themselves and give back to the community.

He said he will talk about what residents of Kibera are trying to do about poverty. Mohamed also will speak to several classes throughout the week on similar topics.

Richard Kohn, a member of the CFK Advisory Board, said CFK will create a cultural, educational and personal interchange between UNC students and Kenyan youth through events such as tonight's speech.

"The potential is for a really important educational experience for Carolina students as well as students from Kibera," Kohn said.

Mohamed also said he appreciates the opportunity to work with UNC students and to gain their support.

"We can create a network of people to support our initiative," he said.

Rye Barcott, CFK president, will be speaking with Mohamed at tonight's event, which he called a rally for Kibera.

Mohamed and another CFK youth leader from Kenya, John Kanyua, will be visiting UNC all week.

Neha Singh, head of CFK's student organization at UNC, said Kanyua is interested in playing soccer at UNC and will be meeting with soccer coaches while he is here.

But Barcott said the week's events, including Mohamed's talk and a reception for supporters, are intended mainly to spread the word about what CFK does and to help raise funds for their future activities.

CFK is under review by the Office of the Provost to become a program of the University. It is now a part of the University Center for International Studies.

The reception for supporters is open to the public and will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 23 at the Horace Williams House.

CFK is also a finalist for grants from the World Bank and the Ford Foundation. Although Barcott said CFK has not officially been awarded these grants, he said he expects to receive them.

Kohn said these grants are very impressive because the World Bank and the Ford Foundation are the most famous and influential nonprofit funding organizations in the developing world. "Involving these two most prominent and prestigious granting agencies is a testimonial to the quality of CFK and its potential."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.