Teenage Mothers Economic Empowerment Project

Teenage motherhood in Nairobi’s informal settlements, such as Mathare, remains a pressing public health and gender equity challenge. Rooted in poverty, structural inequality, and restrictive gender norms, adolescent mothers face a complex set of overlapping barriers. These include limited access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, compounded by stigma, reproductive coercion, and exposure to gender-based violence (GBV). These factors severely undermine their autonomy and perpetuate cycles of dependency, limiting their ability to envision and realize a future beyond early motherhood.

 Repeat teenage pregnancies are often a consequence of unequal power relations, lack of access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information, and limited decision-making power. These pregnancies increase health risks and obstruct educational and economic progress, deepening intergenerational poverty. Existing interventions often fail to address these challenges holistically, treating health and economic empowerment as separate issues rather than interconnected ones.

 To fill this critical gap, Mathare Children’s Fund Panairobi (MCFP) developed the Chanua Teen Moms program, a gender-transformative, integrated model that seeks to dismantle the reproductive and economic dependencies experienced by adolescent mothers. By combining vocational training, SRHR services, mental health support, and accessible childcare, the program empowers young mothers to reclaim control over their lives. It fosters self-efficacy, challenges harmful gender norms, and builds sustainable pathways for these young women to transform their futures.

 From January 2023 to June 2024, 153 teenage mothers aged 19 or younger, each with children under three, enrolled in the six-month cohort-based intervention. Enrollment occurred in three phases: 41 participants between January and June 2023, 57 between July and December 2023, and 55 between January and June 2024. The program offered vocational skills training in cosmetology, tailoring, and garment making to increase employability and financial independence. On-site daycare was provided to reduce barriers to participation.

 Participants received comprehensive SRHR services, including contraceptive counseling, family planning options such as condoms, oral contraceptives, Depo-Provera injections, and implants, as well as menstrual health education and HIV prevention. Mental health and psychosocial support addressed trauma related to GBV and helped strengthen emotional well-being. Monthly health outreaches provided HIV screening, maternal and child health care, SRHR services, and mental health check-ins. The program tracked participants through six-month post-completion follow-ups to assess lasting impacts on economic independence, reproductive autonomy, and overall well-being.

The program demonstrated strong results. Ninety-six (96%) percent of participants completed their vocational training and took either internal or  NITA-accredited exams, gaining marketable skills. In terms of SRHR, 93 participants accessed condoms, 15 chose oral contraceptives, 11 opted for Depo-Provera, and 42 selected implants. HIV screening reached 149 participants; nine tested positive and were promptly linked to care. At six-month follow-up, 72% reported increased financial independence, 83% exhibited greater confidence and autonomy in reproductive health decisions, and 76% experienced reduced exposure to GBV. Participants also reported improved mental health and greater capacity to delay or prevent repeat pregnancies.

 By addressing adolescent mothers’ reproductive health, economic opportunities, mental health, and childcare as interconnected needs, the Chanua Teen Moms program has shifted power dynamics, centering teenage mothers as agents of their own change. This holistic, gender-responsive approach stands apart from fragmented interventions, enabling real transformation in participants’ lives.

 The program underscores the importance of integrated, intersectional programming that acknowledges the structural causes of adolescent motherhood and challenges entrenched gender norms. The positive outcomes support broader adoption of gender-responsive policies that integrate economic empowerment and SRHR as co-dependent levers of adolescent well-being.

 Chanua Teen Moms offers a replicable, policy-relevant model that contributes to dismantling social structures that sustain early motherhood, dependency, and inequality. It calls for a shift from reactive, isolated solutions toward proactive, systemic investments that affirm teenage mothers’ rights and potential. Programs like Chanua Teen Moms demonstrate the transformative power of integrated, gender-transformative approaches in enabling young mothers to reclaim power, challenge stigma, and unlock new possibilities for themselves and their communities.

With your support, we can expand this gender-transformative model to reach many more teenage mothers facing poverty, stigma, and gender-based violence. By scaling up, we will increase access to vocational training, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, mental health care, and childcare—offering young mothers a holistic pathway to reclaim power and possibilities for themselves and their children.

Join us in investing in their futures, because when teenage mothers are empowered, entire communities flourish.

Links:

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In the heart of Mathare  Sly (not her real name), a 20-year-old single mother, found herself facing an uphill battle after an unexpected pregnancy at a very tender age, immediately after she completed high school. This was subsequently followed by her childs father involvement in an accident that left him paralyzed and bed ridden unable to fend for sly and her unborn child. She was the second born in a family of four, her father was the only bread winner and he worked casual jobsto fend for the whole family  since her mother was unable to help with the bills due to illnesses. " I couldn't imagine bringing another child to my father's house knowing what he had to go through to make ends meet"

After the delivery of her child, a neighbor introduced her to Kariobangi sisters.However, her life took a turn for the better when she was introduced to MCFPANAIROBI, by The Kariobangi Sisters. "At The Kariobangi Sisters, I met Anne who introduced me to MCF PANAIROBI, helping me make a big milestone." Sly was enrolled on the garmet making class.Through their garment-making program, Sly not only received practical skills but also essential resources like food, diapers, and sanitary towels. She could also access food and medical care for both her and her child. "Life was better at MCFPANAIROBI, mostly because I was guaranteed food for me and my child. I would also get diapers and sanitary towels which were challenging to acquire due to financial constraints."

MCFPANAIROBI's impact goes beyond vocational training. Sly credits the program for boosting her confidence and communication skills, which have proven invaluable in building and maintaining client relationships in her garment-making business. "Upon joining MCFPANAIROBI I was a very introverted girl. I rarely mingled with people, but here I gained alot of confidence and good communication skills  which are working for me till date and has helped me to initiate and maintain healthy  relationships with my clients." She said.

Upon graduating, Sly was given a start-up kit by MCFP that included a sewing machine, threads and fabric, that helped her kick start  her journey towards self-sufficiency. Today, she successfully runs her home-based garment making business while also being employed at a garment shop in Kariobangi, significantly increasing her income." I'm very grateful to MCFPanairobi for the sewing machine because it gave me a starting point. I couldn't afford to buy a machine and this was such a big step MCFPANAIROBI had helped me make"

Sly's financial empowerment extends beyond her immediate needs. With the financial management skills acquired at MCFPANAIROBI, she is able to save, invest in her child's future, and even contribute to household bills, alleviating the burden on her father.

Sly's story serves as a beacon of hope for young mothers facing similar challenges. She encourages young girls to avoid negative influences and teenage mothers to embrace their potential and seek help."MCFPANAIROBI changed my life for the better," Sly emphasizes, expressing her deep gratitude for the organization's unwavering support. Her journey from despair to self-reliance is a testament to the transformative power of empowering young mothers

Sly's future aspirations are ambitious. She dreams of establishing a dressmaking company that not only provides her with a stable income but also empowers other young mothers by offering them training  and employment opportunities. MCFPANAIROBI's dedication to empowering young mothers like Sly is evident in the positive impact it has on their lives and their communities.

Sly is living a better life and is able to fend for her and her child. She helps with the bills at home too. She advanced her garment making skills and does even wedding gowns and other complex designs which are an added advantage since they mean more income for a better life ahead. She dreams of having a dressmaking company where she can also give back to the community by  training other teenage mom's and employ them. "MCFP ANAIROBI changed my life for the better."