Kisumu Medical and Education Trust (KMET) has called for the creation of child-friendly spaces as part of nurturing care to improve early childhood development outcomes, particularly during the first 1,000 days of life.
Immaculate Otieno, a Project Officer implementing Smart Start Initiative program at the non-governmental organization KMET, emphasized the need for child-friendly environments in health facilities, especially pediatric wards, noting that hospital settings should promote both healing and child development.
“We expect pediatric wards to have child-sized beds, colourful walls, child-sized chairs, and handwashing facilities accessible to children. Even diets should be tailored for children because a seven-month-old baby cannot eat the same food served to adults,” she said.
Otieno noted that creating child-friendly spaces would help children not only survive but also thrive.
She spoke after a two-day journalists’ training on Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development (NCfECD), saying the media plays a critical role in amplifying conversations around child wellbeing and caregiver support.
According to Otieno, the training aimed to strengthen public awareness on nurturing care practices to improve child development outcomes in Homa Bay County.
The Smart Start Initiative focuses on the first 1,000 days of a child’s life from conception to the age of two, a period experts describe as critical for brain development.
“We work across 17 health facilities distributed in the eight sub-counties of Homa Bay County. Through this journalists’ training, we believe nurturing care initiatives and caregiving practices can be strengthened within communities, health facilities, institutions, and even workplaces,” she said.
Otieno explained that nurturing care involves providing adequate nutrition, healthcare, safety and security, responsive caregiving, and early learning opportunities to support children’s growth and development.
“The first 1,000 days are critical because the brain develops rapidly during this period. If we want meaningful investment in the future of children, we must prioritize nutrition, health, safety, responsive caregiving, and early learning opportunities,” she said.
She added that caregivers should serve as children’s first teachers by creating environments that encourage learning and emotional growth through play and interaction.
“Everything around a child is a learning opportunity. Through play, children develop language, social, emotional skills and also their cognitive abilities. If you want to instill good values in children, it must start early,” she said.
Otieno further noted that play is therapeutic and contributes significantly to faster recovery among hospitalized children.
“Studies show that children recover faster in environments where they are allowed to play or interact, even from their beds. Play reduces hospital stay days and supports emotional healing,” she added.
In Kenya, significant disparities persist in early childhood development. According to data, approximately 38.3 percent of children aged three years countrywide have not reached their full potential and are yet to achieve expected cognitive and socio-emotional milestones.
The situation is particularly unequal in the Nyanza region where only 25 percent of children from the poorest households are developmentally on track as compared to 43 percent of their peers from the wealthiest households.
The project officer expressed concern over child development indicators in Homa Bay County, revealing that only 30 percent of children below the age of five are developing mentally on track.
“Our stunting rates are also alarming. When a child is stunted physically, it also affects brain development, and this has long-term consequences as the child grows,” she warned.
On the other hand, Lilian Owino, a nursing officer and trainer on nurturing care for Early Childhood Development, emphasized the vital role caregivers play in ensuring children thrive.
“A caregiver is anybody who has contact with children. That can be parents, guardians, siblings, or even house managers. Their role is to provide optimal care to help children thrive,” said Owino.
She explained that caregivers should actively engage children through play, communication, and by creating safe learning environments at home.
“The role of a child is to play, feed, and communicate. Anytime a child is awake is an opportunity to play and communicate with them because this stimulates brain growth,” she said.
Owino encouraged caregivers to use simple household items as learning tools and involve children in daily household activities to support early learning.
She also stressed the importance of safety and security, including birth registration and creating safe spaces where children can grow and interact freely.
“If a child is crying, caregivers should try to understand what the child needs. Responsive caregiving is about recognizing and responding appropriately to the child’s needs,” she said.
by Sitna Omar
