The Kenyan government has launched the ChildSAFE Kenya Project, a one-year initiative aimed at keeping children in families instead of care homes. The project, supported by the US government, will focus on six counties: Kisumu, Kakamega, Nairobi, Kajiado, Kilifi, and Mombasa. This initiative is part of a wider program being implemented in nine countries, and Kenya was selected due to its existing partnership with the US and commitment to child protection reforms.
According to Carren Achieng Ageng'o, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Children Services, Kenya recorded 222,267 child protection cases in the 2025/2026 financial year, with parental neglect accounting for over 70% of the reported cases. About 40,000 children are living in 902 charitable children's institutions across the country, with over 70% of them able to be traced to their families.
The project aims to strengthen local institutions and services beyond its one-year implementation period. The US government has committed $3.8 million towards the CRS-led ChildSAFE activities in Kenya, with an additional $1 million supporting UNICEF's child protection and safe learning work. The project will work with government structures to reach approximately 6,000 caregivers through parenting support and community-based learning.
Margaret Kahiga, Country Manager, stated that the project will focus on strengthening families to prevent child protection cases. The planned interventions include strengthening the Child Protection Information Management System, improving referrals and community reporting, and enhancing the Child Helpline 116. The project will also support positive parenting, train caregivers, and help identify and support foster parents.
The need for stronger prevention is reflected in historical data, with the 2019 Violence Against Children Survey finding that 50% of children had experienced some form of violence before turning 18. The government is seeking resources to conduct an updated survey. The project's success will be measured by its ability to translate into fewer children experiencing neglect, abuse, and unnecessary separation.
Heidi O'Bra, Public Health Advisor at the US Embassy in Nairobi, emphasized that the goal is to help strengthen the capacity of Kenyan institutions and communities to continue delivering for children and families beyond the project's life. The project will engage with over 30 charitable children's institutions and rescue centers to reintegrate children with their families where it is safe and appropriate.
The government hopes to use the lessons learned from the project to inform wider implementation across the country. The project's longer-term test will be whether stronger reporting and referral systems, better-supported caregivers, and improved family-based care can be sustained after the project ends.
Key points
- The project aims to reach approximately 6,000 caregivers through parenting support and community-based learning.
- The US government has committed $3.8 million towards the CRS-led ChildSAFE activities in Kenya.
- The project will focus on six counties: Kisumu, Kakamega, Nairobi, Kajiado, Kilifi, and Mombasa.
