The Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC) joined continental partners and development leaders at the Scaling Care Innovations in Africa (SCIA) Midterm Conference, held from October 6–9 at the Holiday Inn Sunnyside Park in Johannesburg, to champion inclusive childcare systems as a cornerstone for gender equality and economic empowerment.
The four-day event organized by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) brought together FCDC and its partners—led by the Aga Khan University Institute for Human Development, MWARP, MECP, and the Isiolo Women Network—to present their project, which contributes to the 19 transformative initiatives being implemented across Africa.
These initiatives showcased how care work can drive social inclusion, strengthen families, and promote sustainable livelihoods.
Attendees included representatives from Canada in South Africa, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Together, they shared evidence, experiences, and strategies for scaling care innovations across the continent.
Representing FCDC, Linnet Kaloki of AKU-IHD presented progress under the Care for All:
Catalysing Care Innovations initiative, which is being implemented in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).
The program focuses on three interlinked pillars:
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Policy influence guided by data and baseline research
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Household empowerment through shared care and equitable time use
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Community transformation anchored in inclusive childcare systems
“Our message was clear. Quality childcare frees women’s time, empowers them economically, and keeps girls in school,” FCDC emphasised.
This message reflects FCDC’s broader mission to advance gender equity, social inclusion, and sustainable livelihoods in Kenya’s frontier counties.
Through its advocacy, FCDC continues to push for the integration of education, child protection, and early childhood development (ECD) into care systems, a vital step toward building stronger, more equitable communities.
FCDC expressed gratitude to IDRC for funding the initiative and to its consortium partners for their commitment to reshaping Africa’s care economy.
“Together, we reaffirm our commitment to building a care-centred, gender-just, and inclusive Africa, where the often invisible work of care is acknowledged, valued, and transformed into pathways of empowerment for women and girls,” FCDC concluded.