Chife Foundation Fellow Profile: Nkiru Cheryl Onyekwelu

Chife Foundation Fellow Nkiru at Ebenebe in Early June

Chife Foundation fellow, Nkiru Cheryl Onyekwelu attended Ebonyi State University in Nigeria, completing a degree in French Language. One of six siblings, she chose to study French because of her keen desire to see the world. “I have always wanted to be an international translator or air steward,” Nkiru says. Moreover, she hopes to travel outside Nigeria to obtain a master’s degree and then return to pursue a career within her home country.

Nkiru comes from a family of diverse backgrounds and interests. Both of Nkiru’s parents are traders. Nkiru’s older sister was the first in her family to achieve a university degree. Two of her siblings completed degrees in urban and rural development and accounting; two siblings are currently in the process of completing university degrees in mass communications and engineering.

Nkiru interviewing her community members for a health survey in Anam

This summer, Nkiru was a regular fixture at the Chife Foundation worksite in Anam, providing crucial feedback and assistance to the Rurban Design Workshop interns on their various projects. Most recently, Nkiru also helped conduct health surveys in Ebenebe, gathering information on urgent health issues facing Anam families and how a future health facility could best meet the needs of the community.

Nkiru envisions a prosperous future for the region: “Anam New City will change…the community [by bringing] development, boosting the economy,…creating an aesthetic environment for both locals and newcomers, and creating jobs.” She also looks forward to serving as an ambassador for the project, raising awareness about the New City and organizing programs to empower youths through a skills acquisition workshop. Much of the groundwork for this outreach began this summer and will continue in earnest as the initiative moves forward in coming months and year ahead.

2011 Rurban Design Workshop Kicks Off With International Interns

The second intern season is now two weeks underway here in Anam, adding eight fresh perspectives to ongoing projects and ushering in new strategies for implementating the Master Plan. In keeping with the multi-dimensional nature of Anam New City, this group blends a variety of areas of expertise. Additionally, these interns will be working hand-in-hand with the Chife Foundation Fellows from Anam. Please stay tuned for posts from the interns about the exciting projects in store for this year’s Anam Rurban Design Workshop.

Eric Ansanelli – Eric just finished his degree in Forest Engineering from SUNY-ESF in New York. This summer, Eric plans to examine the link between engineering, ecology, and basic service provision.

Isabel Carreras-Baquer – Isabel currently lives in Barcelona and has completed two Master’s degrees in Architecture and Regional & Urban planning. She will be working in Anam to blend her backgrounds in design and development studies.

Nuzrat Gyamah-Poku – Nuzrat is a returning intern from Ghana and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Architecture at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. In 2010, Nuzrat also worked on housing typology within Anam with the Chife Foundation.

Sara Jacobs – Sara is pursuing her Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture at Harvard University and will be focused on flooding issues and farming development.

Quardean Lewis-Allen – Quardean is pursuing his Master’s degree in Architecture at Harvard University and will work to devise a strategy for affordable housing viable in conjunction with a microfinance system.

Orlena Scoville – Orlena is pursuing a Master of International Affairs at Columbia University and will work on creating a strategy for community banking in Anam, along with examining funding and expanded marketing opportunities.

Andrew Smith – Andrew is pursuing his Master’s in Sustainable Design and Construction at Stanford University and will be focused on transportation systems, road infrastructure, waste management, and energy systems in Anam.

Julia Strickler – Julia is a licensed Naturopathic doctor from Austin, Texas. She will be working to design Anam’s public health system hybridizing traditional knowledges with allopathic methods.