BY Matilda Atieno
Under the cool canopy of the Acacia Hotel, a transformative dialogue for children of Kisumu unfolded earlier today. The County Government of Kisumu, in collaboration with ADS Nyanza, convened a high-level Early Childhood Education Committee (CECEC) Quarterly Review Meeting to address the critical gaps and emerging opportunities in the county early learning and childcare sector.
The one-day strategic workshop brought together a regional educational and child welfare leadership. The event was graced by the CECM for Education, Mr. John Awiti, alongside the County Director, State Department of Education, Mr. Emanuel T. Mwamba, the County Coordinator for the Children’s Department, Mr. Geofrey Musoko, and the Deputy County Commissioner.
A major highlight of the meeting was the comprehensive ECDE Status Report presented by the County Director of ECD, Madam Wilkister Odera. The report revealed a robust but growing landscape with 87,711 children currently enrolled across 653 public and 815 private pre-primary centers.
Madam Odera was candid about the challenges ahead, particularly a significant infrastructure deficit of 1,261 classrooms and 611 toilets across the county. The data catalyzed discussions on the Early Childhood Education Act, No. 3 of 2021, and the ongoing development of regulations designed to enforce strict infrastructure, sanitation, and safety standards through a newly established Quality Assurance and Standards Committee.
In a move reflecting the region’s unique environmental challenges, the committee took a bold step toward integrating climate and flood preparedness into ECDE services. With Kisumu’s Lake Victoria basin frequently impacted by erratic weather, the Kenya Red Cross (KRCS) presented a strategic “Nutrition Resilience” project.
In a powerful move to safeguard Kisumu’s most vulnerable, a new resilience initiative funded by the French Embassy is taking root in the flood-affected landscapes of Kadibo Sub-County. This project seeks to provide relief and build a localized shield for children by turning ECDE centers into frontline hubs for health and survival.
At the heart of the strategy is a commitment to WASH improvements, where hygiene promotion meets practical logistics through the procurement of essential school nutrition registers. By pairing clean habits with record-keeping, the initiative ensures that no child’s nutritional status slips through the cracks during environmental crises.
The care extends deep into medical prevention with targeted health interventions, including bi-annual Vitamin A supplementation and deworming. By focusing these efforts directly on ECDE learners, the project ensures that physical growth and cognitive development aren’t stunted by preventable ailments. This is further reinforced by a sophisticated wasting management system, utilizing community-level surveillance and consistent growth monitoring within the classroom. Together, these actions create a vital safety net, ensuring the children of Kadibo remain healthy, nourished, and ready to learn, regardless of the rising tides
The meeting also turned its spotlight toward the informal sector with a presentation by KMET and Nurture First on Home-Based Child Care (HBCC). Research revealed that over 1,798 providers in Kisumu are currently caring for approximately 6,221 children, yet 98.5% of these providers are unregistered and operating “in the shadows”.
The committee discussed a non-punitive Quality Improvement Roadmap to recognize these providers, offering them training in child protection, nutrition, and safety to ensure that even the smallest home-based centers provide a nurturing environment for children aged 0-3 years.
The workshop concluded with a firm commitment to a multi-agency Action Matrix. This roadmap defines clear priority actions ranging from policy finalization to nutrition interventions like the LIFESTRAW project, with designated responsible offices and strict timelines for the upcoming quarter.
In a closing statement, the Hon Awiti summarized the mission of the day with a call to national leadership, noting that by bridging the gap between national standards and county execution, and by harmonizing the work of formal schools with home-based childcare, Kisumu County is setting a definitive national example.
As we close this meeting, the sentiment remains clear that for every child in Kisumu, a good start is not just a goal, but a protected right.
The high-level commitment underscores the county shift toward an integrated, “whole-of-society” approach to Early Childhood Development, ensuring that whether a child is in a modern classroom or a community-led home-based center, their right to quality care and justice is non-negotiable.
