About Us
Who We Are
We are a Nairobi-based African non-profit that exists to accelerate quality, affordable childcare in Africa.
We create partnerships with governments and non-state actors to develop the childcare ecosystem and catalyze systemic change in how society addresses the childcare crisis. Our collaborative approach consistently prioritizes childcare workers while placing children at the centre and governments in the lead.
Founded in 2019, we are building the Network of Women in Childcare in Kenya, which currently has 7000 members. We have led childcare policy reforms at national level, and built the Collaborative Action for Childcare (CAC) platform to advance collective action and impact within the childcare ecosystem in Africa.
Our new Strategic Plan (2023-2030) sees us deepen our work in Kenya and progressively expand to other countries in Africa, starting with Malawi, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe
Our Strategic Pillars
Vision
Together we envision a time when all children 0-8 have access to quality, affordable childcare, thereby being able to survive and thrive. A time when girls and women carers have a supportive working environment and all families are able to access quality and affordable childcare.
Mission
Uthabiti Africa exists to make sure all children 0-8 years old across Africa have an opportunity to survive and thrive.
How do we Achieve it?
We work collaboratively with a broad range of actors in the childcare ecosystem in Africa. With government in the lead, and with a focus on empowering female childcare workers, we enable children (0 – 8 years) to access quality, affordable childcare.
Where we Work
We are deepening our work in Kenya with the national and county governments, and progressively expanding to Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda Rwanda, Ethiopia and other African countries.
Our Impact
We catalyze investments in gender-transformative solutions that accelerate quality, affordable childcare for millions of children in Africa., with a specific focus on empowering the millions of marginalised and under-served caregivers.
We will create a network of 100,000 childcare workers, accelerating the growth of women-led childcare enterprises and forever changing how childcare workers are treated in Africa. This will result in millions of children getting quality affordable childcare.
We will work with governments, the AU and other regional bodies to ensure there are sufficient policies and regulations at national and local level to ensure all children in Africa get a good start in life,
We will be the partner of choice for policy and regulatory reform on childcare, thereby transforming the lives of millions of children and their carers, with governments in the lead. Our work will be grounded in the experiences of women carers in Africa.
With the Collaborative Action for Childcare as our signature initiative, we will bring together governments, civil societies, the private sector and other organizations to amplify childcare as a critical facet of Africa’s current and future development.
Team Uthabiti Africa
Advisory Board Members
Christine Odero
Advisory Board Member
Josephine Odhiambo
Advisory Board Member
Victor Katchika Jere
Advisory Board Member
Asayya Imaya
Founder and CEO
Esther Gathigi
Advisory Board Member
Board Members
CS. Serah E. Okumu
Board Chair
Jean Chitsanzo Sauti-Phiri
Board Member
Ednah Ojee
Board Member
Pauline Kwoba
Board Member
Victor Katchika Jere
Board Member
Asayya Imaya
Founder and CEO
Members of Staff
Asayya Imaya
Founder & CEO
Noah Kipkoech
Chief Operations Officer
Elizabeth Amuom
Community Outreach Associate
Vivian Chemesunde
Admin and Programs Assistant
Janeffer Muteti
CAC Coordinator
Amanda Temko
Programme Assistant
Asha Bakari
Coordinator, Policy and Partnerships
Steven Otieno
Coordinator, Financial Inclusion
Florence Muanga
Human Resources Specialist
Belinda Ouma
Coordinator, Women in Childcare
Jacinta Gatebe
Accountant