Expanding Access & Strengthening Systems for Foundational Learning

Dear Partner,

Education Empowerment for Rural and Urban Slums Initiative (EERUi) continues to expand access to quality early childhood and foundational learning in underserved communities. This edition shares recent progress in strengthening the systems that make this work possible.

We highlight peer learning with LRDP, organisational benchmarking with PATH Kenya to strengthen governance and fundraising practices, and ongoing collaboration with Uasin Gishu County to deepen local ownership of early childhood programmes. We also share updates on the rollout of the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy project in Turkana South, supported by Luminos Fund.

Together, these efforts are helping EERUi strengthen delivery systems, deepen partnerships, and prepare for responsible expansion while keeping solutions practical, locally grounded, and responsive to the needs of children, caregivers, and communities.

Highlights of Our Recent Engagements

Benchmarking with PATH Kenya: Strengthening systems for Early Childhood Development

EERUi also engaged PATH Kenya in a benchmarking visit to learn from the organisational systems that underpin effective early childhood development initiatives. PATH Kenya is working with the Ministry of Health to advance nurturing care for early childhood development, including the integration of the Nurturing Care Framework into 162 health facilities in Siaya County and support to establish Kenya’s first human milk bank for vulnerable newborns.

The discussion focused on practical aspects of organisational strengthening. Teams exchanged experiences on fundraising and donor management, project planning and tracking, financial controls and reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and governance structures that support sustainable programme delivery.

The dialogue helped identify areas where continued engagement could strengthen EERUi’s systems and support the growth of its early years work. Both organisations expressed interest in exploring joint business development, sharing selected tools and templates, and continuing technical exchange as EERUi expands its programmes in counties such as Bungoma, Kakamega, Turkana, and Uasin Gishu.

The next steps will focus on maintaining this collaboration and translating the lessons from the benchmarking process into improvements in programme management and delivery.

Peer Learning Session: Sharing Learnings, Shaping the Path to Scale with Lake Region Development Programme (LRDP)

In late January, EERUi paid a courtesy visit to LRDP, a fellow participant in the Impact-at-Scale Labs supported by the Global Schools Forum, at their offices in Rongo, Migori County. The visit brought together senior leadership from both organisations for an introductory exchange on our respective work in early childhood, caregiver support, and community development.

The session focussed on each organisation’s mission, programs and the communities we serve. LRDP shared insights into their grassroot work with children, families and the community while EERUi presented its approach in strengthening home-based childcare providers, empowering caregivers and improving early childhood outcomes in low-income communities.

Beyond programme discussions, the meeting created space for open, informal conversations on the realities of working in underserved settings. The teams reflected on common challenges including reaching the most vulnerable families, improving program quality in community-based settings and navigating partnerships with local stakeholders. These conversations helped both organisations to better appreciate the common constraints and opportunities that shape our respective work.

The visit also provided an opportunity to explore alignment and consider how continued engagement could benefit both organisations in terms of shared learning across projects and resource mobilisation. The meeting marked an important step in building trust and meaningful connections within organisations that have a shared vision of improving early childhood care and development in Kenya.

Strengthening collaboration with the Uasin Gishu county government

EERUi met with the Uasin Gishu County Government, through the Department of Education, Gender and Social Protection, to review progress from the first phase of the ECDE programme implemented in partnership with the county.

In the past year, EERUi trained 53 county ECDE coordinators as trainers in play-based learning and the development of low-cost play materials. These coordinators are now cascading the approach to ECDE teachers across the county, extending the reach of the programme through existing county structures.

The review meeting also led to the formation of a joint committee made up of county officials, EERUi representatives, and community members. The committee will guide implementation, track progress, and ensure that activities remain grounded in community priorities. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to strengthening county systems and ensuring that improvements in early childhood education are owned locally and sustained over time.

EERUi FLN project

Last year, EERUi conducted a targeted pilot in Turkana South to assess foundational literacy and numeracy needs among children who were out of school or at risk of falling behind. The findings helped shape the design of a programme that is now ready for implementation.

Building on this work, EERUi is expanding its Foundational Literacy and Numeracy initiative in Turkana South with funding and technical support from the Luminos Fund. The project aims to help children acquire basic reading and numeracy skills, reduce dropout, and support the reintegration of out-of-school learners into formal schooling. Implementation is scheduled to begin in March and will run through the year.

Luminos Learning Lab: As part of preparation, EERUi programme leads will participate in the Luminos Learning Lab country visit in Liberia from 23 to 26 March. The visit will include a workshop on key elements of the Luminos Method and classroom visits to observe the approach in practice.

EERUi 2026 Impact and Vision

This year’s engagements reflect EERUi’s commitment to expanding access to quality education for children in low-income communities, including rural areas and urban informal settlements. Through partnerships with peer organisations and county governments, EERUi is strengthening the practical systems that support delivery, from caregiver training and foundational learning programmes to organisational and governance structures.

A central focus of this work is local ownership. By working closely with communities, caregivers, and county governments, EERUi aims to ensure that programmes are not only effective in the short term but can be sustained and adapted by local actors over time. This approach is helping to shape models that can be replicated in new counties while remaining responsive to local realities.

Building the Systems for Scale

Looking ahead, EERUi’s immediate priority is to deepen and expand its work with children aged 0–3 by strengthening caregiver capacity, community-based childcare models, and partnerships with county governments. With support from the Global Scaling Fund, the organisation has also been strengthening its scaling strategy, monitoring and evaluation systems, and core delivery structures to ensure that growth is matched by strong quality and accountability.

Recent engagements with peer organisations, technical partners, and local authorities are helping refine the practical systems needed to deliver early childhood programmes at scale. Alongside this, complementary initiatives such as foundational learning programmes are being developed to ensure that children who benefit from early childhood interventions continue on a strong learning pathway. In the coming months, EERUi will focus on implementing these priorities and preparing for expansion to additional counties.