Yet on similar platforms, a five-year-old girl stands upright, meets her audience’s gaze and delivers her words with calm confidence, earning applause from senior education officials and government leaders.

At Kimberly Hills School in Kisumu county, Kendra Moner, a Pre-Primary 2 learner, recites poetry with a poise that belies her age. Her verses speak of patience, guidance and care, lessons many adults are still struggling to learn.

“Mum says, ‘Read it quick and clear.’ Dad says, ‘Do it like I hear,’” she recites, her voice steady, her message unmistakable.

Kendra’s confidence is not accidental. It reflects what decades of research have consistently shown: The earliest years of life, especially the first 1,000 days, shape a child’s future more than any other period.

Nutrition, safety, responsive caregiving, early learning and health are not isolated needs. Together, they form the five interlinked pillars of early childhood development.

Across Kenya, that understanding is now being translated into action through ‘Kuwa Kocha’ (Be a Coach), a national campaign built on a simple but disruptive idea: raising a child is everyone’s responsibility.

Kuwa Kocha reframes caregiving from a private duty placed almost exclusively on mothers into a shared community obligation.

Unicef Kenya social and behaviour change specialist Jayne Kariuki explains it plainly: “If you invest in early childhood development, you are investing in the future. Every one of us needs to be a coach to ensure a child grows and thrives.”

FIRST TEACHERS

Experts agree on one fundamental truth: caregivers are a child’s first teachers, long before a classroom, uniform or exam.

From birth, and even before, children learn through touch, interaction, safety and emotional connection.

“Caregivers shape a child’s behaviour and character,” says Prof Teresa Mwoma of the Early Childhood Development Network.

“They must ensure safety, security, health, nutrition and early learning.”

In Kisumu county alone, more than 650 public ECD centres serve tens of thousands of learners, supported by nearly 800 teachers and a growing private sector. But buildings and enrolment numbers are not enough.

Success in early childhood depends on informed caregivers, responsive systems and early identification of developmental challenges.

Kisumu Education executive John Awiti says the Health and Education departments work closely under the nurturing care approach.

“We do growth monitoring so stunted children are identified early,” he says. “Teachers are trained by health professionals to spot developmental challenges so we intervene in time.”

One of Kuwa Kocha’s most visible shifts has been the deliberate inclusion of men as active caregivers. In many communities, deeply rooted norms have long framed childcare as women’s work. Kuwa Kocha challenges that narrative head-on.

At 68, Joshua Ochare of Nyando speaks openly about affection, something once considered unmanly. “When my wife was expectant, I would accompany her to clinic, make her laugh and even touch her belly to feel the baby move,” he recalls.

Today, Ochare still comforts his children and proudly talks about love and bonding.

“I am more enlightened now,” he says. “Kuwa Kocha pushed me to another level. I love my children, and they know it.”

When Ochare returns home, his youngest child runs towards him. When he leaves, she cries. He says that bond never existed with his older children.

In Busia, Stephen Opasa’s life changed abruptly when his wife deserted him, leaving behind an eight-month-old baby girl. “I was scared,” he admits.

Through Kuwa Kocha training, Opasa learned practical caregiving skills, and confidence. “My daughter is now two years old and healthy,” he says. A cobbler by trade, he carries, feeds and plays with her after work and plans to enrol her in an ECD centre.

These stories underline a central truth: Children thrive when fathers are present, informed and emotionally engaged.

PLAY IS LEARNING

In ECD classrooms, Kuwa Kocha promotes a simple but powerful idea: Play is not separate from learning; it is learning. Michael Okeyo, one of Kisumu county’s designated Kuwa Kocha champions, works closely with parents, teachers and communities. His journey began during school graduation ceremonies.

“I realised parents needed as much guidance as learners,” he says.

Okeyo encourages caregivers to embrace play-based learning rather than focusing only on academic drills.

“When children play, they socialise, negotiate, share and develop language naturally,” he explains.

For families facing economic hardship, Kuwa Kocha demystifies learning, showing that meaningful play does not require expensive toys.

Plastic bottles, bottle tops and household items become tools for imagination and growth.

Good health and adequate nutrition remain the backbone of early childhood development.

In Busia county, the homegrown school feeding programme has become a flagship ECD intervention.

Learners receive hot meals twice a week, while parents contribute locally available foods.

Busia Education executive Beatrice Nakholi says the programme strengthens both nutrition and community ownership.

“At 4pm, learners get porridge from parents’ contributions: millet, maize, sorghum or cassava,” she says.

At health facilities, Kuwa Kocha messaging encourages fathers to accompany mothers and newborns. Simon Atema and Emmaculate Kadogo, parents of twins, share clinic duties equally.

“The children are also mine,” Atema says. “This is not her load alone.”

Kadogo notes that not many men do what Atema does, but she sees change taking root.

“When one baby is ill, he even offers to go alone,” she says.

CARE BEFORE BIRTH

Community groups reinforce the idea that nurturing begins long before birth.

In Hakati community support group sessions, expectant parents are encouraged to talk to unborn babies.

“When I was pregnant, my husband attended clinics with me,” says Catherine Auma. “At home, he talked to the baby in my womb.”

Such practices strengthen bonding and prepare both parents emotionally for caregiving.

Local radio stations have become powerful amplifiers of Kuwa Kocha’s message. By translating expert guidance into relatable conversations, radio reaches caregivers in remote areas.

North Rift Radio presenter Milly Sabwami says many women previously struggled alone. “Men were not supportive, malnutrition was high,” she says.

Her colleague Edwin Korobe recalls leading call-in discussions on child neglect. “We talked about caring for children so they don’t end up on the streets,” he says.

Listeners report improved breastfeeding practices, better diets and reduced neglect.

At policy level, counties are formalising early childhood guidelines guided by the Children’s Act 2022 and Article 53 of the Constitution.

Awiti says Kisumu now has a framework to regulate ECD care.

“We are happy handling of children is no longer haphazard,” he says, noting strong partner support.

From Kisumu to Busia, Samburu to West Pokot, Kuwa Kocha is quietly reshaping how Kenyans view children, and themselves.

It is not a short-term intervention but a long journey of mindset change and shared responsibility.

The stories emerging show what is possible when caregivers are empowered, systems collaborate and communities show up.

Kuwa Kocha is more than a campaign. It is an invitation: to be present, informed and engaged.

Back in Kisumu, Kendra Moner continues reciting her poems; patient, hopeful and learning at her own pace.

“Don’t rush me fast or make me sad. Help me. Guide me. Make me glad,” she pleads. “Then one day soon, you’ll see me succeed.”

Her words echo the question facing Kenya today: Who really raises a child?

The Kuwa Kocha campaign’s call to action is: Everyone has a role to play in providing nurturing care so that children can thrive and reach their full potential.