By Lorraine Anyango.
Thirty professionals from various child-serving departments in Kisumu County have completed a three-day training program, equipping them to promote nurturing care practices for young children. These newly minted “Kuwa Kocha” (Be a Coach) champions include nutritionists, nurses, clinical officers, counselors, social protection officers, community health assistants, children’s officers, NGO and faith-based organization representatives, ECDE teachers, religious leaders, community representatives, human resource officers, and social media influencers.
The training, facilitated by Springboard Communication Consultants, prepares them to participate in the “Kuwa Kocha” campaign, a UNICEF-supported initiative (through Jim Grant) spanning six counties: Kisumu, Garissa, West Pokot, Samburu, Busia, and Kilifi. The campaign aims to educate residents about the crucial importance of investing in children’s well-being during their early years.
Kisumu County is integrating the “Kuwa Kocha” campaign into existing community interventions to maximize reach and impact, especially in light of recent funding challenges. “We will use the existing multisectoral platforms that we have to spread the Kuwa Kocha messages,” said Ms. Wilkister Odero , Director of ECD.
The Lake Region Economic Block (LREB) also participated in the training, with plans to extend the campaign to other counties within the LREB after learning from the pilot programs in Kisumu and Busia.
Key messages to be disseminated through various channels, including social media, radio, community meetings, and parent-teacher associations, include male involvement in nurturing care, protecting children from violence, responsive care to foster security, and prenatal bonding. The team has also developed jingles and audio dramas in Swahili and Dholuo to reach a wider audience.
Participants engaged in creative role-playing exercises, demonstrating how they would communicate these messages to diverse audiences, and received certificates upon completion of the training. They were also briefed on the soon-to-be-ratified National Government Nurturing Care Strategy and its multi-sectoral implementation model.
The three-day program covered the status of key nurturing care indicators in Kenya, social and behavior change communication principles, advocacy strategies, the National Nurturing Care Strategy (slated for launch in March), implementation of the “Kuwa Kocha” campaign, and monitoring and evaluation methods.
The “Kuwa Kocha” campaign will run for at least three years, with the expectation of achieving significant positive change in nurturing care practices for young children aged 0-8 years.
