A lack of childcare in Nairobi’s markets prevented caregivers from participating in the workforce. To fill this gap, Wow Mom created daycare services in markets and trained caregivers so that mothers could engage in paid labor.
In Nairobi, caregivers, mostly women, hired nannies or took their children to daycare centers while they went to work. These centers were unhygienic, crowded and exposed children to malnutrition, infections, abuse and delayed development. Subsequently, women faced significant childcare and medical expenses and often had to take time off work to care for their sick children. This pattern prevented women from reliably earning their own incomes and kept economic growth and independence out of reach. In addition, Nairobi lacked public children’s facilities like diaper-changing stations, ultimately preventing caregivers from being able to travel around the city or to work with children.
- Created a clean childcare center in Gikomba Market with space for children to learn and play, a baby changing station with a diaper disposal bin and hand washing area, cabinets for storage, baby cots, tables and chairs, carpeting for comfort and caregivers who have the materials and training to enhance children’s cognitive development
- Developed training programs for mothers to learn about entrepreneurship, finance and business development to grow their participation in the economy and increase their financial stability
- Led to a partnership with the Nairobi City County Government that aimed to establish and improve childcare centers in all markets across the city; together, they developed the 2021 Market Guidelines that required markets to have space for childcare services
- Increased the number of mothers in the workforce and their incomes: 30% of women using the childcare centers began going to work daily and 25% have seen an increase in revenue from their businesses
- Improved the quality and affordability of childcare: Women can now take their children to cleaner, cheaper childcare facilities
- Allows mothers to participate in paid labor and work more reliably
- Reduced the amount of time mothers spent caring for sick children in the hospital
- Increased the cleanliness of markets so that childcare can take place in a dignified and sanitary way, and so women can participate in the development of the market
- Spurred partnerships with Nairobi Metropolitan Services (to install baby changing facilities in public toilets) and Kenya Railways (to provide baby changing facilities and play spaces in terminals)
- Inspired private businesses, like restaurants, to add child-friendly facilities
