New initiative set to boost quality childcare, education in Kenya

Aashti Zaidi Hai. [Courtesy]

A network of education organisations has launched an initiative to improve the quality and accessibility of childcare and Early Childhood Development (ECD) services in the country.

The initiative is led by Impact at Scale Labs, a programme of Global Schools Forum (GSF), which supports non-state organisations that provide quality education in low- and middle-income countries.

The programme will offer Sh15,066,972 (PS75,000) in grant funding and one-on-one coaching and expertise to four local organisations that serve children aged 0-6 years in low-income communities, both rural and urban.

Aashti Zaidi Hai, CEO and Founder of GSF, said Impact at Scale Labs received applications from 39 organisations across the country but only four partners qualified.

Selected organisations are Education Empowerment for Rural and Urban Slums Initiative (EERUI), Jackfruit Finance, Lake Region Development Programme and TotoCare Programme.

The initiative aims to help the organisations scale their impact and reach more children and families with quality childcare and ECD services.

"Our Impact at Scale Labs initiative supports education programmes to scale globally. Our second Labs initiative, Early Years in Kenya, will partner with local childcare and early childhood education and development (ECED) organisations that have a proven track record of delivering quality services to children and families in need," she said.