Selected
The Care Economy

Kidogo - quality childcare through social franchising

Kidogo improves access to quality, affordable childcare through social franchising - ensuring children receive the best start to life.

Team Leader
Sabrina Habib
Kidogo improves access to quality, affordable childcare through social franchising - ensuring children receive the best start to life.

The Problem

Globally, 350 million children lack access to quality childcare. In Kenya's informal settlements, where 60% of the urban population lives, there is a childcare crisis. When a child spends their essential early years in an unsafe, unhealthy environment, they enter primary school with cognitive, emotional, and physical deficits.

The Solution

Kidogo’s solution is a community-rooted childcare system that delivers a triple win for children, mothers, and local women entrepreneurs (“Mamapreneurs”).

We improve access to high-quality, affordable childcare in low-income communities by finding, upskilling, and quality-assuring women who run childcare micro-enterprises. Children receive safe, nurturing early learning environments that support healthy development. Mothers are able to work with greater stability and peace of mind. And Mamapreneurs build sustainable businesses, increasing their income, skills, and professional recognition.

Alongside strengthening centres, Kidogo partners with government to advance licensing, financing, workforce pathways, and data systems, embedding childcare into public systems to enable long-term, government-led scale.

Stats

Kidogo's childcare social franchise network serves 112,000 children, parents, and Mamapreneurs.

What is the name of your organization?
Kidogo
What is the name of your solution?
Kidogo - quality childcare through social franchising
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Kidogo improves access to quality, affordable childcare through social franchising - ensuring children receive the best start to life.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Nairobi
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
—
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
—
What specific problem are you solving?
Globally, 350 million children lack access to quality childcare. In Kenya's informal settlements, where 60% of the urban population lives, there is a childcare crisis. When a child spends their essential early years in an unsafe, unhealthy environment, they enter primary school with cognitive, emotional, and physical deficits.
What is your solution?
Kidogo’s solution is a community-rooted childcare system that delivers a triple win for children, mothers, and local women entrepreneurs (“Mamapreneurs”). We improve access to high-quality, affordable childcare in low-income communities by finding, upskilling, and quality-assuring women who run childcare micro-enterprises. Children receive safe, nurturing early learning environments that support healthy development. Mothers are able to work with greater stability and peace of mind. And Mamapreneurs build sustainable businesses, increasing their income, skills, and professional recognition. Alongside strengthening centres, Kidogo partners with government to advance licensing, financing, workforce pathways, and data systems, embedding childcare into public systems to enable long-term, government-led scale.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Kidogo serves young children (0–5) in low-income communities, women childcare entrepreneurs (“Mamapreneurs”), and working families. Children receive safe, nurturing care during the critical early years when most brain development occurs, improving health and developmental outcomes. Mamapreneurs gain training, mentorship, and business support to build sustainable childcare enterprises. Families, especially mothers, benefit from reliable, affordable childcare that enables stable employment, income generation, and reduced stress. Together, this creates a triple win for children, women entrepreneurs, and working parents.

Organization Type:
Nonprofit

Headquarters:
Nairobi, Kenya

Stage:
Scale

Working In:
Kenya

Solution Website:
https://www.kidogo.co/

Solution Team:
Sabrina Habib
Sabrina Habib
CEO and Co-Founder