Helping women in Mathare Valley to set up small businesses necessarily meant that they were not at home to care for their children for much of the day. Sadly, this led to severe problems.

Several women lost their children through fire and other dangers when left home un- attended. Other children were exposed to rape, prostitution and loitering in the streets. To address these problems the Maji Mazuri started a day care center that would take care of the children as mothers went on with their businesses. The center provides shelter for children, and introduces them to formal education while at the same time allowing mothers to do their business without having to worry about the safety of their children.

Because of lack of sustained funding, the project remained for some time confused to simply feeding and providing the children with day care. However, as the center grew in popularity, more and more women brought in their children to be admitted, including some not necessarily participating in the micro business finance program. The project has contracted the services of two youth volunteers who are offering formal education to these children at the pre unit level.

Strategy

This is a very significant component of the Maji Mazuri community based economic rehabilitation program, and indeed has a great impact on the target community that the program wishes to serve. The day care for the children or parent/relatives who are engaged in micro businesses is a great idea. The program makes positive contribution to the micro finance program. It also has the potential to stand on its own and have very positive impact in the development of the Mathare community. The recommendation is to expand the program with a view to making it sustainable. To do so the following options could be considered:

• The center as a stand-alone early child development, education and rehabilitation center

• The management of the project by having someone (maybe the youth trained in early child education) manage the program on a day to day basis

• The rehabilitation of normal but disadvantaged children who require feeding and day care, while targeting the slum area where the program has projects.

Basis For Argument:

• As the of micro business finance group expands, the number of children that need care will increase

• Proper management will be very crucial as a selling point for this program.

• It is necessary to ensure that children are well taken care of and are given the opportunity to prepare to join normal school at such a time when the parent can afford it.

• This will challenge parents and perhaps motivate them to put all their children in school

• This may be an inevitable option considering the social conditions in Mathare and the work that Maji Mazuri is engaged in.

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