Mr Aulo is Programs Manager at ACK Development Services Nyanza (ADS Nyanza). This blog is part of a series edited by Katherine M. King, Director of Education and Early Childhood Development at RTI International’s Center for International Development.
Protecting Funding for Young Children’s Outcomes
I have had the privilege of working with ADS-Nyanza, a Kenyan faith-based organization serving children and families, for nearly twenty years. In this time, I have witnessed transformation in the way Kenyan government and society think about, plan for and take action to support young children’s development.
Now we have an opportunity to make more substantial progress. Kenya’s Children’s Act of 2022 and ongoing national policy discussions about integrated early childhood development (ECD) provide momentum for counties that want to promote ECD. To capitalize on this momentum, we must overcome a longstanding, stubborn roadblock: scarce resources.
In the context of devolved government, resource allocation is the key challenge for counties to adopt and operationalize national policy. Some counties have successfully allocated resources for ECD services, but the budgeted amounts are often inadequate. The situation worsens when funds originally intended for ECD are reallocated to other priorities. Funds that are not set aside and protected by policy mandate are prone to being redirected to other uses. ECD is a human investment whose results take time to materialize, making it less politically expedient for county politicians to prioritize. The County Assembly may prefer to invest in physical infrastructure that is visible to the electorate.
Effective Leadership from County Governors
Two case studies from Vihiga County and Kakamega County show us how political leadership can overcome resource barriers to deliver effective ECD implementation.
In 2018, Vihiga County launched a new maternal and child health program, named informally after the Governor who initiated it, Dr. Wilber Ottichilo. Through financial incentives, “Ottichilo Care” encourages pregnant women to access antenatal and postnatal care with an aim of improving maternal and child health outcomes. Ottichilo Care allocates KES 5,000 per pregnant mother per year to reimburse costs to attend recommended antenatal and postnatal visits, payable in installments when visits are completed. After eight years of this program, Vihiga County has the highest rates of antenatal and postnatal care in Kenya’s Lake Region Economic Block.
Kakamega County has operated a similar program since 2014. The program name has changed with the political transition of different governors, but the basic model has remained the same: providing financial support for pregnant and lactating women to access essential health care, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations, including adolescent mothers, mothers living with HIV or a disability and malnourished mothers. The financial support—KES 2,000 monthly for six months—is triggered when these mothers begin antenatal care at a recognized maternal and child health facility in the first trimester. Recently, Kakamega County developed a policy to formally scale up and institutionalize this program. County officials report that there are now 60 recognized maternal and child health facilities in the county, up from 39 facilities in 2024. These county facilities are now providing quality healthcare and financial support for more than 90,000 women.
Data Systems Powering Policy Action
In addition to appropriately funding ECD policy and programming, political leaders invest their resources well when they interact with relevant, accurate and timely data. Vihiga County has developed a data dashboard through a public-private partnership in which the county government contributes more than 90 percent of the cost. The dashboard provides real-time data on maternal and child heath indicators from across the county, such as antenatal care attendance, skilled birth deliveries, postnatal care visits, immunization coverage, and growth monitoring and nutrition status. This dashboard informs resource allocation and draws attention to urgent policy needs for children and families. Health officials can see the entire county’s maternal and child health indicators at the click of a button, helping direct resources efficiently. For example, if the system shows 200 missed opportunities for children’s vaccination in the past week, the data prompt health stakeholders to investigate and develop a response strategy.
Strong data systems are an insurance in times of political transition. When data show that a program is working, then that evidence motivates leaders to continue support for the program. Without data, leaders do not know where to invest or whether ongoing efforts are adding value. Ottichilo Care has been sustained because government officials and the public can see the data on its effectiveness. Data also enable organizations like ADS Nyanza to target our support in the right places. With support from the Hilton Foundation, our “Moments That Matter” program strengthens caregivers’ knowledge and skills in Nurturing Care by training community change agents – including ECD Promoters, faith leaders and ECD committees – to drive social and behavior change within their communities.
Applying Learning Across Kenya
County Governors across Kenya may draw two important lessons from these examples: first, operationalizing national policy at the county level requires protecting ECD funding; and second, establishing strong data management systems helps to sustain progress. Policy leadership is critical. If county governments want to sustain ECD initiatives, they must establish official policy frameworks that will outlast any political term. Programs and services must be pegged to policy and funding that has been enshrined at the county level or else ECD programs and services may falter. I recommend county governments consider the following actions:
If county leaders take these steps, they can count on improved outcomes for caregivers and children.
