Strengthening health and hope for young mothers and their children in Kenya

In the pastoralist communities of Kenya’s South Rift teenage mothers face stigma, social isolation and poverty, which in turn affects the wellbeing and development of their young children.

We have recently received funding to launch a new initiative supporting young mothers in areas with high rates of teenage pregnancy, where many face stigma and limited support.

Many young women in these communities become mothers in their teens, often as a result of early marriage, limited access to contraception and a lack of information about their sexual and reproductive health.

We are working with our partners The Maa Trust and the South Rift Association of Landowners (SORALO) to create 12 Young Mothers’ Groups over the next two years, reaching a total of 240 Young Mothers and their children. The women will be offered a safe, supportive space to learn about reproductive health, positive parenting, nutrition and financial literacy.

We aim to build the mothers’ confidence, promote healthy behaviours and support the mothers to access health services for themselves and their children, including antenatal and postnatal care, immunisations and nutritional support. Early childhood development activities, such as supervised play and toy crafting, will also be included. 

Alongside healthcare, the women will be connected to education and training opportunities, helping them return to education or develop income-generating activities to support themselves and their children.

This new activity is linked to a wider community health programme that we are supporting both partners to run. This is engaging thousands of people in the wider community through community dialogues on health-seeking behaviour, gender equality and harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation. Outreach clinics are being provided which focus on Reproductive, Maternal and Child health, including routine immunisations, deworming and regular growth monitoring for children, as well as antenatal care, support for skilled deliveries and access to family planning.

In the long term, this project will strengthen family health, promote gender equality and give the youngest children in these communities the conditions they need to grow up in a supportive environment.