By Matilda Ochich
County officials, technical experts, and development partners from Kisumu and Bungoma gathered earlier this week in Kisumu for an intensive two-day peer learning exchange focused on advancing Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development. The 2day session was convened under the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) Smart Start Initiative and KMET.
The workshop brought together Multi-Sectoral Technical Teams from both counties to share field experiences, exchange innovative service delivery models, and strengthen regional collaboration. Ahead of the regional forum, the Kisumu County Multi-Sectoral Technical Team, led by Director of Early Childhood Development and Education Wilkister Odera, held preparatory consultations to document local achievements, examine implementation challenges, and identify high-impact practices ready for adaptation and scale-up across member counties.
The first day of the workshop was graced by Bungoma County Chief Officer for Gender and Culture, Mr. Andrew Musungu, who underscored the vital importance of multi-sectoral collaboration and institutional commitment to early childhood care. The day focused on institutional alignment, governance, and practical lessons drawn from grassroots implementation. Delegates reviewed regional progress and examined community referral pathways. Kisumu Multi-Sectoral Technical Team, led by the county nutrition coordinator, Rael Omwandho, and her Bungoma counterpart, Director of Gender and Social Services Eunice Imbwenya, guided candid plenary exchanges on county milestones, innovations, and persistent gaps. Technical clinics led by county economic planning, finance, and legal leads further traced how early childhood priorities move from policy formulation and executive decision-making to budget allocation and tangible community results, complemented by case studies on integrated care from ICS Strengthening Families and ACK Development Services Nyanza.
On the second day, deliberations shifted from reflection to measurable accountability and concrete execution. Participants evaluated promising innovations presented during the exchange, with each county selecting at least two proven models for local testing and adaptation. The teams also established standardized reporting instruments, performance indicators, and accountability frameworks while exploring strategies for domestic financing and long-term institutionalization. The workshop culminated in intensive group sessions where both county delegations drafted costed 90-day action plans complete with clear milestones, implementation timelines, and designated leads.
The high-level engagement drew strong backing from regional and state leadership during the closing sessions. The LREB CEO, Dr. Victor Nyagaya, delivered inspiring remarks, commending the participating counties for their dedication to institutionalizing early childhood development and emphasizing the bloc’s unwavering commitment to cross-county cooperation and sustainable financing. Bringing the landmark event to a formal close, the Children’s Officer from the State Directorate of Children Services, Allan Onguka, delivered closing remarks highlighting the critical alignment between county-level nurturing care initiatives and national child protection mandates, and officially closed the successful meeting.
Supported by partners including Catholic Relief Services and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, the exchange concluded with a renewed regional pledge to safeguard holistic care for the region’s youngest citizens.
