Caring Practices and Support for Early Childhood Development and Learning Among Nomadic Pastoralists – Informing the Development of a Support System to Foster Optimal Early Childhood Development in Kenya

Over 66% of children in sub-Saharan Africa are affected by poor development. This project aims to understand the caring practices/support for early childhood development/learning among the Maasai (nomadic farmers) in Kenya. It will use this information to support the development of a community-based programme to foster optimal early childhood development (up to 36 months). Nomadic farmers (14% of Kenya’s population) have very specific needs for programmes to support early learning because of their semi-nomadic lifestyles and the low status of women. Involving a team of Kenyan/UK developmental psychologists, social scientists, public health nutritionists, and early childhood development experts, this project is working closely with the Ministry of Health, County Health Department and community stakeholders to generate evidence on: 1) Maasai support practices for early childhood development and early learning, 2) how this support can be used in interventions; and 3) how existing Kenyan interventions to support early childhood development need to be adapted to support nomadic pastoralists.

Research Team: Professor Paula Griffiths, Loughborough University; Dr Emma Haycraft, Loughborough University; Dr Elizabeth Kimani-Murage, African Population and Health Research Center, Kenya; Dr Maurice Mutisya, African Population and Health Research Center, Kenya; Professor Judith Kimiywe, Kenyatta University; Dr Teresa Mwoma, Kenyatta University