Availing Affordable and Accessible Childcare in Market Centers in Kenya- A Baseline Research Report on Childcare Needs of Women Traders in Nairobi, Kenya

Childcare is a critical but under-addressed constraint on women’s economic participation in Nairobi’s market centers, where women traders must balance income generation with caregiving responsibilities under financial and social pressure. This baseline study examines the childcare needs, preferences, and barriers faced by women traders in urban markets, and the implications for their livelihoods and well-being.

Since 2021, Wow Mom Kenya has partnered with the Nairobi City County Government to design and deliver affordable, high-quality childcare solutions in market centers. This implementation-driven work has generated robust evidence on expanding childcare access for women traders and informed the development of a proposed market-based childcare policy, demonstrating scalable approaches to integrating childcare into urban economic systems.

Through a collaborative research effort with Dalberg Research and BSD Group, and with support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), this work has examined the childcare needs, preferences, and barriers faced by women traders.

Findings show limited access to formal childcare driven by high costs, sanitation and safety concerns, and lack of nearby services. Women expressed strong demand for affordable, market-based daycare (at around KES 100–150 per day) and highlighted the potential of quality childcare to unlock economic participation. The report outlines evidence-based recommendations for scaling accessible childcare through public–private partnerships and strengthened county-level policy frameworks.