Niko Green | Mums hubs

The Challenge

+ 350 Million

children do not have access to child care services. Nearly 8 out of 10 of these children live in low or lower middle-income countries. A key barrier for the working poor to access child care services is a lack of provision in places where workers live and work (by World Bank).

In Kenya, the Health Act of 2017 and the Ministry of Health's Guidelines on the Establishment of Breastfeeding Friendly Environment at the Workplace (2018) provide the framework for the establishment of decent lactation facilities at workplaces. Unfortunately, the level of implementation of these frameworks remains quite low.

In Kenya, the majority (52%) of working women resume work within three months after birth contributing to a rapid decrease in breastfeeding rates - hence the need to create a conducive work environment for women to successfully combine work with breastfeeding.

Number of children that are born to teenage mothers

Million

Globally

4.5

Million

Africa

380

Thousand

Kenya

Teen pregnancies, coupled with a lack of childcare facilities deprive these girls of crucial social-economic opportunities. It also exposes their children to major health risks.

There is therefore urgent need for shared responsibility and collaborative efforts to promote breastfeeding by accelerating the establishment of safe and quality breastfeeding facilities in all work places.

What mother's have to say

We do not have a breastfeeding room, I have seen my colleague express in the toilet, so over time it is not very comfortable, you end up giving up.

An employed working mother, Nairobi

I felt it will be weird (expressing breast milk in the server room)… then also how to store it. I used to keep it in the car but I used to get worried about what if it spoils in the car.

A working middle-aged mother, Nairobi

The market is not a safe place for the children; some of the customers don't like wearing masks and we don't have enough water

Market trader, Durban

What we are doing:

Design and construction of lactation and babycare hubs:

The Hubs will incorporate and demonstrate green building principles including use of reclaimed and biobased materials.
The materials and funds that are needed for the projects will be mobilized through ENDELEVU® digital construction crowdfunding platform (www.endelevu.africa).
Students and unemployed youths will be involved in the design and construction of the childcare hubs through a design competition and apprenticeship initiative called Endelevu Design Challenge.
The non-profit partner, WSCSD, will run campus-based income generating activities like sale of child and mother products to support the hubs operational costs.

Donate Learn more

Child and mothers' health and development

We are providing mothers with technology-enabled and evidence-based advice on issues of maternal and child health, including micronutrient supplementation and breastfeeding to improve the survival, health and well-being of children, and their mothers.

Sexual and reproductive health education

We are creating awareness to prevent unintended pregnancy.

Applied research

We identify persisting gaps, test and document what works in delivery of accessible high-quality breastfeeding and daycare services.

Benefits of Mums' hubs

Improved health of children

Breastfeeding reduces the child's risk of getting a number of diseases and could save about 823,000 lives of children.

Improved health of women

Scaling up of breastfeeding can prevent around 20,000 breast cancer deaths every year, improve birth spacing and contribute to a reduction in a woman's risk of diabetes and ovarian cancer.

Promote climate action and environmental sustainability

The hubs will act as living labs for demonstrating green building practices including the use of reclaimed and natural materials.

Promotes decent employment for women

By removing constraints to work for women and girls, reducing unpaid care work and creating green jobs for the youth.

Be part of the solution

When we invest in the lactation facilities, we'll provide critically needed care, create critically needed jobs, and we'll be a step closer to building an equitable economy that works for everyone.

We welcome you to support the following ongoing projects:

Mums' Hub at the University of Nairobi

Mums' Hub at University of Kabianga

Media section

Testimony of expectant campus student

Listen to the story of a campus student who shares how she has managed academics and parenthood.

Meeting with UoN Vice Chancellor

Our team had a meeting with University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor.

Visit to University of Kabianga

Our team visited the University of Kabianga and got to learn key points on child care.

Visit to South Eastern Kenya University

Our team visited South Eastern Kenya University child care center and got to learn key points on child care.

Visit to Kenyatta University

Our team visited Kenyatta University child care center and got to learn key points on child care.

Participating universities

Eight Kenyan universities have so far expressed interest in hosting the first lot of the Hubs on their campuses for use by their lactating students and staff.

Resource mobilization

We are currently mobilizing resources to build the flagship Hub at the University of Nairobi's Main Campus.

Visit to Safaricom Child care center

Our team benchmarked on Safaricom's child care center and got to learn key points on child care.

1st Edition Award Ceremony

The top three groups were awarded amazing prices.

Endelevu Babycare Program

The Challenge

What mother's have to say