Uthabiti Africa is a not-for-profit organization established in 2019 that is building the Network for Women in Childcare in Kenya, which currently has over 7,000 members. The organization has led national childcare policy reforms and created the Collaborative Action for Childcare (CAC) platform to advance collective action and impact across Africa’s childcare ecosystem. Building on Uthabiti Africa’s experience in Kenya, the Climate Action Africa technical assistance sought to enhance its capacity in climate leadership and advocacy within the childcare sector, both nationally and regionally. The following summarizes the initiative successes after its closing events and public launch of the project in Nairobi in January 2026.
Integrating Climate Resilience and Gender Equality into Kenya’s Childcare Sector (078 Technical Assistance Initiative)
Irene Nasimiyu (Childcare Champion, Kakamega, Kenya) knows firsthand how important it is to equip childcare workers with practical tools for both advocacy and everyday problem solving. This is particularly critical as she has experienced the adverse effects of climate change, like increased flooding and extreme temperatures, in her childcare centre. Learning about disaster-planning, speaking to politicians to ensure childcare is considered in climate considerations, and working with community to strengthen their climate skills, is her way of contributing to local solutions in her county.
As climate change intensifies across Sub-Saharan Africa, its impacts are increasingly affecting not only infrastructure and livelihoods, but also essential social systems. In Kenya, rising temperatures, flooding, and water scarcity are already disrupting childcare services and infrastructure, with consequences for child wellbeing, caregiver livelihoods, and women’s economic participation. To address this challenge, Climate Action Africa supported a Technical Assistance initiative implemented by an international consultancy, Samuel Hall, in collaboration with Uthabiti Africa between May 2025 and March 2026 that aimed to support the integration of climate resilience and gender equality into Kenya’s childcare sector.
Addressing a gap in climate adaptation
Climate hazards are increasingly disrupting childcare services, yet childcare is often overlooked in climate planning, preparedness, and adaptation strategies. The initiative responded to this gap by positioning childcare as a service continuity and resilience issue, recognising its role in supporting households, communities, and local economies. In low-income areas, informal childcare centres — most of them run by women — are already absorbing climate shocks such as flooding, extreme heat, and water disruptions. These challenges increase unpaid labour, affect income stability, and reduce the ability of centres to operate safely.
Strengthening capacity and enabling engagement
The Technical Assistance was delivered through a sequenced approach combining assessment, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, and proposal development. More than 200 participants across Nairobi, Kisumu, and Kakamega were engaged, including childcare providers, county officials, and civil society stakeholders.
Key activities included:
- A participatory capacity needs assessment to identify gaps in preparedness and governance.
- Training programmes for childcare champions and Uthabiti staff on climate risks, disaster preparedness, and advocacy.
- A stakeholder dialogue within Uthabiti’s Care Forum, convening over 100 participants to discuss solutions and entry points.
- Development of communications and advocacy materials, including an advocacy brief and short documentary.
These efforts strengthened the confidence and leadership of childcare providers, including Irene Nasimiyu, who highlighted her increased ability to engage in policy discussions, alongside broader gains in institutional capacity to integrate climate considerations into programming and advocacy. Another childcare provider, Kevin Mukabwa, noted the initiative also underscored simple, yet impactful practical adaptation measures that are being taken at community level to help childcare centres remain operational in the face of climate shocks including, for example, the use of fans to manage heat, tree planting, unblocking sewer lines, and improving fire preparedness.
Key findings and early outcomes
The initiative confirmed that climate disruptions are already affecting childcare service continuity, with many providers lacking access to structured preparedness guidance or climate-resilient infrastructure. At the same time, caregivers are actively adapting through informal measures, often without technical or financial support. The CAA’s assistance also highlighted that childcare providers are largely excluded from climate governance and financing mechanisms, including County Climate Change Funds, limiting their ability to access support for adaptation. Through training and dialogue, the initiative helped create pathways for stronger engagement between childcare providers and institutional actors, contributing to increased recognition of childcare within climate resilience discussions and planning.
Advancing gender-responsive climate action
Gender equality was a central component of the initiative, reflecting the fact that the childcare sector is predominantly female-led and that climate shocks disproportionately increase unpaid care burdens. The initiative reinforced the importance of recognising childcare as essential infrastructure. When childcare services are disrupted by climate shocks, the effects extend to household income, labour participation, and local economic activity.
Looking ahead
While longer-term policy and financing changes extend beyond the timeframe of the Technical Assistance, the initiative established key foundations for future engagement, including a strengthened evidence base, capacity building outcomes, and practical tools for continued advocacy and partnership development. These results contribute to ongoing efforts to integrate childcare systems into climate adaptation planning and to strengthen gender-responsive approaches to resilience in Kenya. Read the advocacy brief here.
A short documentary also amplifies the voices of childcare champions, offering a powerful, human-centred perspective on how climate change is affecting daily care work and community resilience. Watch the documentary here.
