Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — A delegation of experts from the African Center For Early Childhood Development (AfC-ECD) has completed a technical visit to Kenya’s Mombasa County / County Government of Mombasa / aiming at taking a significant step toward strengthening Early Childhood Development (ECD) systems in the county.
The visit, held from 11 to 14 January 2026 at the invitation of the Mombasa County Government, focused on assessing existing early childhood services and laying the groundwork for a comprehensive county-wide ECD baseline study.
The initiative aims to generate robust evidence to guide policy, investment, and service delivery for children in their earliest and most critical years of life through conducting an ECD baseline study in Mombasa with technical support of Addis Ababa’s AfC-ECD.
Early childhood development — encompassing health, nutrition, early learning, caregiving, and protection — is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of human capital development. In Kenya’s devolved governance system, county governments play a central role in delivering ECD services, placing Mombasa at the forefront of efforts to translate national policy into local action.
The AfC-ECD delegation, led by Dr. Dr Meseret Zelalem, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and comprising of other three members – Dr. Tabor Gebre-Medhin, Technical and Regional Advisor , Dr. Natnael Asres Yamnew (M.D, MPH,MSc GH-GS), Director of Program and Strategic Partnerships and Dr. Sintayehu Abate Senior Research Advisor engaged with county leadership, including the governor’s office, mayoral representatives, and officials from education, health, nutrition, planning, and social development departments.
During the visit, the AfC-ECD delegation was warmly welcomed and received by Mombasa County Governor, HE. Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir and his Ministers pertinent to ECD operation and coordination and toured model pre-primary schools, home-based daycare centers, public health facilities, and community spaces.
The team observed both promising practices and persistent challenges in delivering quality early childhood services in an urban coastal context marked by rapid population growth, informal settlements, and increasing demand for childcare.
A key outcome of the visit was agreement in principle to undertake a comprehensive ECD baseline study covering child development outcomes, nutrition status, school readiness, caregiving practices, and the availability and quality of services across the county.
The study will be led technically by AfC-ECD, with operational support from academic partners and financing and coordination from the county government, supported by international philanthropy.