ICS SP

The early years from birth to age 8 are a critical window of opportunity. What happens in these years shapes a child’s brain, health, confidence, and ability to learn. Yet adolescent parents often lack the support they need to give their children the strongest start. In Kakamega County, we're changing that through the Kuimarisha Project a partnership between ICS SP and the County Government, strengthening systems to support adolescent parents and their young children (0-3 years). Our approach: 🤱 Responsive Parenting: Training adolescent mothers, fathers, and caregivers in gender-transformative parenting that promotes healthy brain development and breaks harmful stereotypes 🎨 Play-Based Learning: Integrating play into daily routines because play IS how young children learn 🏛️ Systems Strengthening: Building capacity within county health, social development, and ECDE systems for sustainable service delivery In the past year, the Kuimarisha Project served over 1,841 adolescent parents through peer support and individualized home visits. The project achieved 59.7% improvement in responsive caregiving skills and 37% enhancement in parental well-being. Notably, 74 baby minders delivered early stimulation to over 1,300 children while connecting parents to education and entrepreneurship support. The project also contributed significantly to regional policy discussions, enhancing the ECDE Policy review and developing Cross-Sectoral Referral Standards. Investing in early childhood = investing in a better future. 🔗 Learn more about our work and how you can support or partner with us: #EarlyChildhoodDevelopment" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">icsafrica-sp.org/#EarlyChildhoo… #NurturingCare #InvestInChildren #GlobalDevelopment #HealthAndWellbeing

What a meaningful and energizing time we had at our recent team retreat in Nairobi. Bringing colleagues together from across our programs created space not only to reconnect as a team, but also to reflect on our journey and sharpen our collective vision for the future. Guided by our theme, “Scaling Impact, Accelerating Change, for a Future Where Every Child and Family Can Thrive,” we engaged in rich discussions about the direction of our work and began shaping priorities under our 2026–2030 Strategic Plan. These conversations challenged us to think boldly about how we can expand solutions, strengthen partnerships, and deepen our impact for children and families. Beyond the strategic conversations, the retreat was also a time to celebrate the people behind the work. We took time to appreciate and recognize outstanding team members whose dedication, creativity, and commitment continue to drive our mission forward. And of course, it wasn’t all work; there were moments of laughter, connection, and shared experiences that reminded us why strong teams matter. As we return to our work re-energized and aligned, we invite partners, communities, and supporters to continue walking this journey with us. Together, we can scale what works and accelerate change so that more children and families can thrive. #ScalingImpact #AcceleratingChange #TeamRetreat #ForChildrenAndFamilies

When it comes to protecting children, what truly makes a system work? We recently asked: What’s MOST critical in strengthening child protection systems at scale? Here’s how you voted: 🔹 73% – Coordination across sectors 🔹 20% – Legal frameworks and policies 🔹 7% – Access to support services 🔹 0% – Training and capacity building The results are clear: child protection systems do not fail because we lack laws or services; they fail when systems operate in silos. 👉 A health worker may identify risk. 👉 A teacher may notice warning signs. 👉 A social worker may intervene. But without structured coordination, clear referral pathways, shared accountability, and aligned planning, children still fall through the cracks. At Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS SP), coordination is not an abstract concept; it is embedded in how we work. Transformative Impact at Scale In 2025 alone, ICS SP reached 328,299 parents and caregivers across Kenya, Tanzania, and Côte d’Ivoire, directly improving outcomes for over 214,000 children through integrated, evidence-based interventions. This scale was possible because we do not implement it in isolation. We: 🫡 Align parenting, childcare, and child protection interventions with government systems 🫡 Strengthen referral networks across health, education, and social services 🫡 Contribute to policy and standards development to promote coherence 🫡 Address violence prevention, poverty-related stressors, and systemic barriers together Strong laws create the mandate. Skilled professionals drive implementation. Services provide support. But coordination is what transforms fragmented efforts into protective systems that last. If we are serious about protecting children at scale, we must invest in integration, not just interventions. What has strengthened coordination in your context?

When it comes to protecting children, what truly makes a system work? We recently asked: What’s MOST critical in strengthening child protection systems at scale? Here’s how you voted: 🔹 73% – Coordination across sectors 🔹 20% – Legal frameworks and policies 🔹 7% – Access to support services 🔹 0% – Training and capacity building The results are clear: child protection systems do not fail because we lack laws or services; they fail when systems operate in silos. 👉 A health worker may identify risk. 👉 A teacher may notice warning signs. 👉 A social worker may intervene. But without structured coordination, clear referral pathways, shared accountability, and aligned planning, children still fall through the cracks. At Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS SP), coordination is not an abstract concept; it is embedded in how we work. Transformative Impact at Scale In 2025 alone, ICS SP reached 328,299 parents and caregivers across Kenya, Tanzania, and Côte d’Ivoire, directly improving outcomes for over 214,000 children through integrated, evidence-based interventions. This scale was possible because we do not implement it in isolation. We: 🫡 Align parenting, childcare, and child protection interventions with government systems 🫡 Strengthen referral networks across health, education, and social services 🫡 Contribute to policy and standards development to promote coherence 🫡 Address violence prevention, poverty-related stressors, and systemic barriers together Strong laws create the mandate. Skilled professionals drive implementation. Services provide support. But coordination is what transforms fragmented efforts into protective systems that last. If we are serious about protecting children at scale, we must invest in integration, not just interventions. What has strengthened coordination in your context?

Peacebuilding starts with our children. Proud to be featured in the @NCIC_Kenya Nyanza Region newsletter for our Youth Conflict Prevention Program in Kisumu County. Through life skills training in Amani Clubs in primary schools, we're empowering young people to: ✅ Lead conversations on peace & unity ✅ Build life skills & values-based resilience ✅ Create peer support systems against abuse & exploitation ✅ Become champions of social cohesion When children are heard, equipped, and empowered, entire communities transform. Together with @NCIC_Kenya , we're not just teaching peacew e're raising peacebuilders. #YouthForPeace #AmaniClubs #Kisumu #SocialCohesion #ChildProtection #PeaceEducation

How different would your child’s future be if they grew up safe, supported, and free from violence? For every parent and caregiver, this question is deeply personal. A child’s first experience of safety, love, and belonging begins at home. Yet many children still face daily risks linked to poverty, harmful gender norms, child labour, violence, early marriage, family separation, and limited access to essential services. At Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS SP), our Child Labour Programme confronts this injustice head-on. We focus on ending child labour where it hides in domestic work, the service industry, and agricultural supply chains, with a strong emphasis on the cocoa sector. Our work centres on restoring childhoods and strengthening systems that protect children today and into the future. Impact so far: 🥳 👍 Parents empowered with skills and income support to keep children in 👍 school 👍 Hundreds of children withdrawn from exploitative labour and reintegrated into education 👍 Reduced reliance on child labour in targeted cocoa supply chains 👍 Stronger awareness and action among community leaders, employers, and local authorities 👍 Girls formerly in domestic work supported with life skills, protection, and pathways to educatio In Côte d’Ivoire, our initiatives such as the #PIPEREF-SC project, implemented in partnership with actors including Nestlé and government ministries, have reached thousands of parents and children. These efforts have strengthened family environments, improved positive parenting and conflict-resolution skills, and supported over 213,000 caregivers and 214,000 children across 62 communities to grow up in safer, more nurturing settings. Because when families are supported, children are protected and futures are transformed. Invest in childhood. Help us stop child labour everywhere it hides. No child should carry the burden of labour when they should be carrying a backpack. Join us in ending exploitative child labour. Support the systems, families, and communities who are ready for change. Make a donation: icsafrica-sp.org/make-a-donatio… Cocoa Initiative International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) Jacobs Foundation Barry Callebaut Group #SafeAndNurturingFamilies #EndChildLabour #ChildProtection #PositiveParenting #FamilyStrengthening #EthicalSupplyChains #CocoaSector #Caregivers #ChildrenFirst #CotedIvoire #Kenya

Who protected you when you were a child? 💭 Every child deserves that answer to be: "Many people. The system worked." Child protection isn't rescuing children from danger, it's building a world where danger can't reach them in the first place. 1. It's invisible in the parent who learned to communicate without hitting. 2. It's invisible in the teacher who noticed and knew who to call. 3. It's invisible in the community that caught a struggling family before they broke. 4. It's invisible in the policy that closed loopholes before children fell through. In 2025, across Kenya 🇰🇪, Tanzania 🇹🇿, and Côte d'Ivoire 🇨🇮, we #ICSSP strengthened systems that keeps children safe: ✅ Trained parents in positive discipline ✅ Connected families to vital services ✅ Built community support networks ✅ Equipped child protection officers ✅ Strengthened protective laws and policies #ChildProtection #SystemsChange #ProtectChildren #SafeChildhood #PositiveParenting #Kenya #Tanzania #CotedIvoire #ICSSP #ImpactThatMatters #ChildRights What matters MOST in protecting children? 👥 Strong communities 📋 Good laws & policies

Imagine a world where families are the strongest shield protecting children. Over the past 5 years, Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS SP) has amplified evidence-based skillful parenting as a proven child protection solution across Kenya, Tanzania, and Côte d’Ivoire, shaping both practice and policy conversations. 📊 The impact: 213,236 caregivers strengthened with positive parenting and economic resilience skills 214,481 children supported to grow in safe, stable, and nurturing family environments 62 communities reached through government-aligned, systems-strengthening approaches 📍 In Kenya, acceptance of corporal punishment dropped from 73% to 18%, with fathers increasingly embracing nurturing caregiving roles. 📍 In Tanzania, 43,094 parents have been engaged and national coordination advanced through the Multisectoral Parenting Group. 📍 In Côte d’Ivoire, public–private partnerships have improved family communication and children’s emotional well-being. By combining data, strategic storytelling, and key partnerships, we continue to position family strengthening as central to ending violence against children. 👉#Policymakers, #partners, and #practitioners, join us in scaling family strengthening approaches that protect children. Read more about our evidence-based family strengthening approaches and join the conversation on strengthening child protection systems. 🔗 icsafrica-sp.org/areas-of-work/ 💬 When parenting works, child protection systems work. #EvidenceBasedParenting #FamilyStrengthening #ChildProtectionSystems #EndViolenceAgainstChildren #PolicyInfluence #ThoughtLeadership #StrategicCommunications #ICS_SP

This week, you heard from our learners. You saw our co-creation model in action. You learned how life skills training helps young people claim their rights: 🛡️ Protection - Creating safe learning environments ❤️ Survival - Ensuring peers access basic education needs 🌱 Development - Leading in governance and decision-making 🗣️ Participation - Co-creating resources like 'Hear It In Our Voices.' The conversation continues. Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS SP) SP's proven rights-based life skills methodology is ready for scale. Our learners are ready to lead. Our communities are ready for transformation. 🎥 Hear from our Executive Director @Beatrice Ogutu on why #InternationalDayOfEducation matters and what co-creation with youth really looks like. Join us! lnkd.in/d8ZBAVgm Download the calendar: lnkd.in/dvkHRPxj @UNICEF @UNESCO @SavetheChildren @ChildFund @PlanKenya

At Busidibu Primary School in Western Kenya, education is strengthening learner participation, school governance, and accountability. As we look forward to the #InternationalDayofEducation, we spotlight education that equips learners with the skills, voice, and confidence to participate meaningfully in decision-making spaces. Through #ICSSP’s #lifeskills programme, learners are prepared to engage constructively in school governance structures, including Boards of Management. They develop critical thinking, civic awareness, and leadership skills that enable them to contribute to policy discussions, represent peer interests, and influence decisions that shape safe and inclusive learning environments. “We appreciate our teacher for taking us through life skills because we can apply what we learn in our daily lives. We grow vegetables and sell them to support fellow learners who do not have good uniforms.” — Learner, Busidibu Primary School 📌 RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT IN PRACTICE The Right to Development requires education systems to support children’s holistic growth academically, socially, emotionally, and civically. Meaningful learner participation strengthens school leadership, improves accountability, and supports effective policy implementation. This model aligns with rights-based education frameworks and demonstrates how life skills education contributes to stronger institutions and inclusive development. 👉 Read more about how learners at Busidibu Primary School are leading change: 🔗 lnkd.in/diwZgSiB 📩 Interested in strengthening learner participation and youth governance in schools? #InternationalDayOfEducation #PowerOfYouth #RightToProtection #ChildrensRights #YouthVoices #EducationForAll #SafeSchools #YouthLedDevelopment #CoCreation #ChildProtection #RightsBasedEducation #SDG4 #StudentSafety #EndViolence #ProtectionMatters

3 Days to #InternationalDayOfEducation 2026 Theme: "The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education" Today, we're spotlighting how young people are defining and protecting their own rights. 📌 RIGHT TO PROTECTION Every child has the right to protection from violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. But protection isn't just about preventing harm it's about creating environments where children feel safe to learn, grow, and speak up. Why Youth Voices Matter in Protection: 🛡️ Students can't learn when they're afraid they know what makes them feel unsafe 🛡️ Reporting mechanisms only work when youth understand their rights and believe they'll be heard 🛡️ Creating truly protective school environments requires youth input adults can't guess what safety feels like from a child's perspective In Their Own Words: Protection means 1. All children are taken to school and protected from child labour 2. The government provides security for learners as they go to school. 3. Bullies are reported to the teacher. These are real barriers young people face daily. And they're identifying them clearly. When we empower learners to identify rights violations in their own contexts and design solutions, we enable young people to become active protectors of their own and their peers' well-being. This is what it means for youth to co-create education. They define the problems, shape the solutions, and lead the change. Scaling this approach to more communities, more countries, more young people, will transform entire education systems to truly serve and protect their learners. Download the Calendar👉 lnkd.in/dvkHRPxj 👉 Tomorrow: We unpack the RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT how learners are defining what they need to reach their full potential. 📩 Ready to scale youth-led, rights-based education? Interested in collaboration? lnkd.in/d8ZBAVgm @UNESCO @UNICEF @save_children @KudelyS @SabrinaMajikata @The_DSD @EduMinKenya #InternationalDayOfEducation #PowerOfYouth #RightToProtection #ChildrensRights #YouthVoices #EducationForAll #SafeSchools #YouthLedDevelopment #CoCreation #ChildProtection #RightsBasedEducation #SDG4 #StudentSafety #EndViolence #ProtectionMatters

RIGHT TO PARTICIPATION How do you actually co-create education with youth? Behind the scenes of our 'Hear It In Our Voices' calendar: ✅ Learners identified their priority rights issues ✅ They designed, illustrated, and voiced the content. 📌 RIGHT TO PARTICIPATION IN ACTION Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantees children the right to express views on matters affecting them. But participation isn't automatic, it requires: 1. Safe spaces where young voices are valued 2. Capacity building so that youth can articulate their experiences 3. Platforms that amplify rather than filter their messages 4. Adult facilitation that empowers, not controls This rights-based model works. Download a copy on our website today to learn more 👉 lnkd.in/dvkHRPxj 📩 Interested in collaboration? lnkd.in/d8ZBAVgm #RightToEducation #YouthEmpowerment #LifeSkills #ChildrensRights #SocialImpact #EducationForAll #FinancialLiteracy #CommunityDevelopment #SDG4 #InternationalDayOfEducation

Co-creating education isn't a buzzword, it's our proven methodology. Over the past year, more than12,000 learners across Kenya and Tanzania have transitioned from passive recipients to active architects of their education through ICS SP's Life Skills training model. This week leading to #InternationalDayOfEducation, we're sharing the evidence: real stories from schools like Busidibu Primary and Ochok Kadongo, where learners are creating peer support systems, redesigning school policies, and leading governance structures. Each day, we'll explore the four pillars of children's rights: 🛡️ Protection - Safety from harm and abuse ❤️ Survival - Access to basic needs like healthcare and nutrition 🌱 Development - Opportunities to reach full potential through education 🗣️ Participation - Having a voice in decisions that affect them What makes our model different? ✅ Learners sit on school Boards of Management not as tokens, but as decision-makers ✅ Student-led enterprises generate income that supports vulnerable peers ✅ 100% of our life skills graduates show improved discipline in school and at home ✅ Learner-designed tools have been adopted across our programs in Kenya and Tanzania This isn't theory. It's practice. See the impact. Join the movement. 🌟 Looking to invest in scalable, youth-centered, rights-based education with proven outcomes? Follow our stories this week, then let's connect to discuss partnership opportunities for 2026. 👇 icsafrica-sp.org/make-a-donatio… Download 'Hear It In Our Voices' 👉 icsafrica-sp.org/wp-content/upl…

This week at ICS-SP, we’ve been strengthening partnerships, building capacity, and amplifying our voice to create safe, nurturing environments for children and families. Under our Malezi Mema Jamii Imara Project, we are concluding an intensive 8-day Training of Trainers (ToT) for the Alternative Family Care Unit of the State Department for Children Services. With the mandate to implement the Family Promotion and Protection Policy now transferred to the new State Department, this skills transfer is essential. By equipping their leadership with the right knowledge and tools, we are supporting effective guidance and nationwide implementation of family-based care interventions. In parallel, our Child Domestic Work (CDW) project team continued its inception meetings, engaging this week with NGAO leadership in Chakol Division, Teso South Sub-County. The session brought together the Assistant County Commissioner, Chiefs, and Assistant Chiefs for an introductory briefing on the CDW project and a strategic dialogue to secure leadership buy-in. We are encouraged by their strong commitment to supporting the rollout of CDW interventions across the sub-county. As we culminate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, our Kuimarisha Project team took part in a live discussion on Lubao FM, raising awareness on the protection and empowerment of adolescent mothers, caregivers, and communities. This conversation highlighted the urgent need to end all forms of violence and promote safer spaces for women, girls, and all children. ICS-SP is committed to championing family-based care, strengthening community systems, and creating environments where every child thrives. #ICS_SP #MaleziMemaJamiiImara #ChildProtection #FamilyBasedCare #ChildDomesticWork #CapacityBuilding #LeadershipDevelopment #16DaysOfActivism #EndGBV #CommunityEngagement #SafeSpacesForChildren #Empowerment #ChildRights #SocialImpact #NurturingCommunities

Did you know that nearly 1 in 3 women globally experience violence in their lifetime? As our lives increasingly shift online, the digital world has become a new frontline where harmful behaviors, including cyberbullying, online harassment, non-consensual sharing of images, misinformation targeting women, and other forms of technology-facilitated abuse are growing in scale and complexity. According to UN Women (Facts & Figures: Ending Violence Against Women), this global statistic reflects one of the most widespread human-rights violations. As we continue the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence under the theme “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” we are reminded that digital safety is no longer optional it is essential. A safe digital space for women and girls is one where: ✨ Online participation does not come with fear of abuse ✨ Privacy is respected and protected ✨ Platforms respond swiftly and firmly to harassment ✨ Women’s voices are amplified, not silenced ✨ Everyone, especially communities and institutions, is accountable for creating respectful online environments. Let us champion digital spaces that uplift, protect, and empower every woman and girl. #16DaysOfActivism #UNiTE #EndGBV #DigitalSafety #GenderEquality #OnlineSafety #StopOnlineAbuse #WomenAndGirls #TechForGood #ICS4Change #SafeguardingWomen #DigitalRights

This week our ED @BeatriceOgutu joined the Changing the Way We Care (#CTWWC) Close-Out Celebration. We are honored to have been part of this remarkable journey. Having worked with CTWWC from September 2019 to 2023, it was truly inspiring to witness the tremendous impact the initiative has achieved in transforming care for children and families. The close-out celebration today highlighted years of dedication, collaboration, and measurable outcomes from strengthening family-based care systems to supporting vulnerable children. A huge shoutout to all partners and teams whose hard work made this possible! #CTWWC #ChildProtection #FamilyBasedCare #Impact #Collaboration #ICS_SP #CareReform

Today, Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS SP) joined stakeholders at Godoma Technical Training Institute in Ganze Sub-County for the official launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This year’s theme, “Unite to End Online Gender-Based Violence,” underscores the growing need to protect women and girls in digital spaces. As part of key conversations we emphasized the importance of active parental involvement in children’s ICT use, the need to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms, and the urgency of promoting survivor-centred approaches in all interventions. Together, we can create safer online and offline environments for all. Learn more about us 👉 : icsafrica-sp.org #16DaysOfActivism #EndGBV #UniteAgainstGBV #EndOnlineGBV #OnlineSafety #DigitalSafety #ProtectTheGirlChild #GBVPrevention #ChildProtection #ParentalEngagement #SafeSpaces #WomenRights #YouthSafety #SaferInternet #ICSSP

Tomorrow marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, observed globally from 25 November to 10 December. As we mark this important period, we unite with the world to confront digital violence targeting women and girls.Together, we commit to promoting safe online behavior, supporting survivors of cyber abuse, and nurturing homes, schools, communities, and digital spaces where dignity and respect thrive. At Investing in Children and their Societies (ICS SP), we implement community-led gender transformative programs that prevent violence against women and children by addressing its root causes, negative social and gender norms, inequality, silence, and stigma. We also work to ensure that survivors receive timely, compassionate, and trauma-informed support, both online and offline. This year’s theme, “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” calls on all of us to recognise the growing forms of online abuse and take collective action to create safer digital environments for every woman and girl. Let’s #OrangeTheWorld and take a stand, online and offline. #16DaysOfActivism #EndGBV #EndDigitalViolence #UNiTE #ProtectWomenAndGirls #SafeOnlineSpaces #StopCyberAbuse #GBVPrevention #HearMeToo #DigitalSafety

The family is the first home for a child and the parent is the first educator. Intentionality in creating time to be together with our children, to connect, to build that relationship, this is the season to make that intentional time. In case you missed it… Catch the insightful remarks shared by our Executive Director during the Education Townhall discussion. We’d love to hear your thoughts, watch the video below and join the conversation. 💬 What is your key takeaway? @The_DSD @UNICEF @ChildFund @CHILDLINE1098

Beatrice Ogutu, Executive Director, Investing in Children and the societies (ICS-SP): Holiday seasons are a double-edged sword for parents; it’s a time for fun because our children are back home, but it comes with its own share of stress. The family is the first home for a child and the parent is the first educator. Intentionality in creating time to be together with our children, to connect, to build that relationship, this is the season to make that intentional time. You can take two hours and make it a very quality time to interact, to know your child and guide them. Parents must take care of themselves, to rest and eat well, so that they show up well #CitizenMondayReport