There is mounting evidence that the lack of childcare services affects women’s employment and economic opportunities. It also limits women’s productivity and the type of employment women engage in, preventing them from taking more stable and lucrative employment opportunities. Although there is policy support for service provision to children under the age of four, there is a lack of evidence on which childcare model works best for different categories of poor working mothers in different contexts.

This project seeks to fill this gap by testing the effectiveness of a community-based childcare model in improving the economic wellbeing of poor working mothers across urban and peri-urban contexts in Ethiopia.

It will also identify interventions needed to make community-based childcare centers more effective, affordable, and scalable. The knowledge generated from this project will be particularly relevant for informing recovery efforts to build a more gender-inclusive and responsive economy in the post-pandemic period. Using a cluster-randomized trial, the project will employ quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. It will integrate social and behaviour change communication to address adverse social norms related to women’s unpaid care work.

This project is supported under the Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GrOW) East Africa initiative, jointly funded by the Gates Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, and the International Development Research Centre.

• The overall aim of the project is to improve women’s ability to work and generate income, thereby improving their wellbeing and promoting early childhood development.
• The project also has a research component, with the objective of assessing whether subsidized and enhanced quality community-based childcare services can increase women’s participation in the labor market in Ethiopia.

Learn more at https://www.gatesfoundation.org/

Learn more at https://hewlett.org/

Learn more at https://idrc-crdi.ca/en

Learn more at  https://beanafrica.com

Learn more at https://childrenbelieve.ca/

Learn more at https://www.aau.edu.et/

Learn more at https://www.tesfab.org/

• Addis Ababa

The Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GrOW) project in Ethiopia has made significant strides in advancing early childhood development, promoting women’s economic empowerment, and strengthening community systems. Through a multi-sectoral approach, the project has contributed to improved outcomes for children, families, and communities. Key achievements to date include:

• Early Childhood Development: Renovated 16 Early Childhood Development centers across Addis Ababa, Adama, and Debreberhan, improving the quality of care and learning environments for 380 children aged 1 to 3 years.
• Women’s Economic Empowerment: Formed 16 self-help groups with a total of 320 women members. These groups collectively mobilized USD 11,450 in savings and facilitated USD 37,789 in loans, enabling members to launch and expand income-generating activities.
• Promoting Social Cohesion: Strengthened household and community engagement through platforms for dialogue on child growth and development, fostering shared responsibility and support systems.
• Skills Development: Enhanced the leadership, entrepreneurship, decision-making, networking, lobbying, and advocacy capacities of community members, particularly women, to increase their influence in both household and community decision-making processes.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strengthened partnerships with local government stakeholders, including the Education Bureau and the Children’s Bureau, to promote sustainability and alignment with national development priorities.