Crèche initiative helping vulnerable urban mothers strike a work–life balance

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If as a woman, someone asked you to choose your family over your career or vice versa, what option would you go for? The former or the latter? Whatever the case, choosing to have a family doesn't mean you've chosen not to have a career. Being a mother is not and must not be a penalty.

This is what has informed the initiation of the Workplace Childcare Support Project (WCSP) by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), in partnership with Kidogo Early Years, which aims at removing barriers encountered by vulnerable working mothers in poor urban settings. Many of these poor working mothers are faced by a poor work-life balance of providing for their families while at the same time rearing their children.

In the current harsh economic environment, such mothers are pulled in a million directions. They end up becoming vulnerable in the job market. They are forced to leave their children under the care of a sibling, a neighbor or in an informal childcare center. At times, children are left unattended to and this puts their lives in danger, for instance the risk of harm from child predators.

Under the Workplace Childcare Support Project, APHRC, in collaboration with Kidogo Early Years, a social enterprise that provides high quality, affordable early childhood care and education in Kenya’s informal settlements, is implementing a crèche project for women working in the informal sector. The project seeks to examine the feasibility and acceptability of providing childcare services for women within the workplace and the impact on women's empowerment and productivity as well as on children's developmental outcomes.


 A crèche has been set up close to the industries where these women work to allow them to have close contact with their children during the day. This means that the women can leave their children under the care of professional caregivers within a safe environment.


"We are targeting women working in the industries and whose incomes cannot afford decent paid childcare. The majority of these women come from the neighboring slums such as Korogocho. These women have to work to earn an income to look after their families and at the same time they have the responsibility of taking care of their children," says Dr. Elizabeth Kimani-Murage, a Senior Research Scientist at the APHRC and Head of the Maternal and Child Wellbeing Unit within which this project is situated.



APHRC's previous work has provided insights into the plight of women slum dwellers and they understand well the power of increased attention and investment by governments and development partners in improving the living conditions of such people.

Investing in mothers

APHRC has previously carried out research in a rural context showing that women struggle with daycare for their children while they work. The study revealed that providing childcare in the workplace improved exclusive breastfeeding, as well as growth outcomes among young children. Building on the earlier findings, the current project was designed to test a similar model within the urban poor context. Apart from the free modern childcare services, the women will also receive monthly parenting talks.

The main question is: “Is it feasible and acceptable to provide childcare services within the workplace, and does it have an impact on women's productivity, autonomy, income and children's wellbeing and development?” as highlighted by Dr Margaret Nampijja, the project manager while explaining the project to the guests at the launch of the facility.

Projected impact

The crèche model will be piloted for 15 months after which the outcomes will be measured. APHRC anticipates that the initiative will result in a reduction in the rates of absenteeism at the workplace for working mothers, and increased productivity of women knowing that their children are safe and well cared for. Quality childcare is also expected to result in better developmental outcomes for young children.

Leading by example

Dr. Kimani-Murage says that APHRC is finalizing the setting up of a fully functional crèche at their premises to enable women with young children working within the organization to successfully combine work with breastfeeding and childcare.

The crèche project is funded by Echidna Giving for a period of two years and is led by a team of investigators including Dr Patricia Kitsao-Wekulo (Principal Investigator); Dr Margaret Nampijja (the Project Manager); Kenneth Okelo, David Osogo and Ruth Muendo (Research Officers); Dr Elizabeth Kimani-Murage (Head, Maternal and Child Wellbeing Unit) and other members in the Unit.