Meet Carl Friesen, incoming CES Canada chair

Carl visits the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary with CES graduate Melvin Wafula, and interacts with Kenyan wildlife

This article is based partly on Carl’s presentation to the CES Family Gathering on 27 May 2023, in Toronto.

Many of you have been involved in CES longer than I have. So I need to learn from you about how to make this organization continue its important work.

For my background – I’m an independent marketing consultant, working out of a home office in Mississauga. My professional background is in Journalism, media relations and marketing.

How I got involved in CES

I first heard of CES maybe ten years ago through Michael Frederiksen; we’re both members of the same faith community in Toronto. I remember attending a CES silent auction fundraiser at The Old Mill in Toronto.

Some time after that I talked with Michael, and I told him I was interested in sponsoring a university student – and that’s how I came to know Melvin Wafula, who was at the time a CES-sponsored business student at Moi University in western Kenya.

Michael told me he was interested in publishing a book on the first 15 years of CES. He needed someone to interview people in Kenya to get their stories, and manage the publication of the book. So I got my tropical medicine shots, secured a visa to Kenya and made travel arrangements.

Over a period of a week, CES people in Kenya made sure I could get to about 30 interviews they’d arranged – with CES beneficiaries in university and secondary school, with teachers, principals, parents and members of the CES Kenya board. Many of the students had stories that were variants of, “I come from a humble background, had trouble finding school fees, I was recommended for a CES scholarship, CES approved it, and so I was able to focus on my studies without worrying about being sent home for fees.” That’s really strong, because we focus on students are “poor, smart and ambitious) as CES Kenya patron Malik Khaemba told me 

Carl joins members of the CES Kenya board for a meeting in the CES Kenya office in Kakamega

I learned that the Kenyan government does not pay for all costs associated with elementary or secondary school fees. So, many students are left without being able to attend secondary school. It’s particularly difficult for girls, who may be asked to leave school to care for younger siblings, cutting off their opportunities for a brighter future.

I had a good chance to get to know Melvin Wafula in person, and understand her background as a partial orphan. I saw how she’d excelled in leadership roles in her schools, within the CES Alumni organization and as she planned for her future career.

I returned to Kenya in 2019 to renew relationships and again in September 2022, meeting more members of the CES family in Kenya.

As a member of the Board, I’ve been publishing the CES Harambee Report (with reality-checks from Michael, and Tom Conant’s support on electronic stuff).

If you want to play a larger role in the future of CES, please get in touch. We particularly need help with social media.