BETTER BUSINESS PRACTICE FOR CHILDREN (BPPC)
This initiative was launched in 2010 when KEPSA signed a statement of commitment on behalf of businesses to promote work policies that create a conducive environment for breastfeeding employees. This initiative was implemented in partnership through KEPSA Foundation in partnership with UNICEF in 3 phases (2012-2013, 2016-2018, and 2019-2021) targeting the private sector in a bid to advocate for the creation of a conducive environment supportive of breastfeeding within private sector workplaces.
The initiative further scaled up to sensitize women in the informal settlements of Nairobi on MIYCN through women groups/ Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCOs) and Investment clubs, establish a strong network of agro-processors, food marketers and private sector nutrition champions to propagate the MIYCN agenda within the private sector and advocate for BBPC within the private sector. This is to ensure that key knowledge and practice gaps for women in the urban informal settlements are minimized/ reduced to enable improved maternal and child outcomes in these areas.
Furthermore, the project will collaborate with young agri-preneurs from Kirinyaga and Embu Counties, among them are beneficiaries of UNICEF led Agricultural Technology initiative that promotes agriculture as a viable career option among young people by the use digital technology in agriculture to increase production and profitability. It will also support the young agri-preneurs with sub-contracting and market linkages for their agricultural produce leveraging the Agricultural and retail Business membership Organization affiliated to KEPSA. This collaboration will not only support the growth of these entrepreneurs but also expand the availability of nutritious food options in urban and rural areas, contributing to improved dietary diversity and nutrition outcomes for residents. It will also improve household incomes through the empowered young men and women. By fostering partnerships and empowering local young entrepreneurs, the project aims to create sustainable solutions to food insecurity and malnutrition in these communities.
Initiative successes
- Advocacy, and championing the enactment of Breast Milk Substitutes (BMS) Regulations and Control Act, 2012 and the enactment of Health Act, 2017 that mandates employers to establish lactation stations and offer breaks for breastfeeding thus protecting, supporting and promoting breastfeeding
- Developed of the inaugural Private Sector Policy to secure workplace support for breastfeeding to provide guidance to private entities seeking to optimize BBPC
- Documented the business case studies on employer support for improved
breastfeeding practices to showcase best practices
- Establishment of a model lactation room at KEPSA that also serves as a learning Centre for other companies
- Undertook baseline and endline Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) studies that inform scaling up from the end-line evaluations indicated an improvement on from the baseline evaluation and provided recommendations for further programing.
- Advocacy, and championing the enactment of Breast Milk Substitutes (BMS) Regulations and Control Act, 2012 and the enactment of Health Act, 2017 that mandates employers to establish lactation stations and offer breaks for breastfeeding thus protecting, supporting and promoting breastfeeding
Contact
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1-982-782-5297
1-982-125-6378 - support@consultio.com