By Bill Rutto
The recent Cabinet decision to merge and dissolve several State corporations included an order to declassify professional bodies categorized as State corporations and deny them government funding. Among the organizations affected is the Child Welfare Society of Kenya (CWSK), despite it not being a professional body but a State agency dedicated to child protection. This move risks dismantling decades of progress in safeguarding the rights and welfare of Kenya’s most vulnerable children.
Since its establishment in 1955, CWSK has been at the forefront of child protection, ensuring that children in dire circumstances receive essential care, including food, shelter, education, medical assistance, family tracing, reintegration, and psychosocial support. As a government agency, it has played a crucial role in implementing national child welfare policies, reaching thousands of children in need every year.
In the last financial year alone, CWSK directly impacted 937,144 children across the country. Its key interventions included emergency response for children in distress, rapid rescue operations, family-strengthening initiatives, family tracing and reintegration services, alternative family care and adoption support, education and skills development programs, and combating child labor. Through its school support programs, CWSK assisted 183,905 children with school fees, uniforms, and learning materials, ensuring they remained in school. It also piloted a school feeding program in six constituencies across Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nyandarua, Kiambu, Murang’a, and Nyeri counties, as well as special schools in Tharaka-Nithi County.
The organization also reached 47,627 children through rescue, family tracing, and reintegration efforts, ensuring they found safe and stable homes. Additionally, 51 vulnerable youths were enrolled in the National Youth Service (NYS) to acquire vocational skills, providing them with a path toward self-sufficiency.
Beyond direct interventions, CWSK has been maintaining and developing Integrated Child and Family Centres—temporary safe spaces for rescued children. These centers provide crucial services such as healthcare, counseling, education, and other developmental needs, ensuring that rescued children receive holistic support for their well-being and growth.
Defunding CWSK will have devastating consequences, placing over 700,000 vulnerable children at serious risk. It raises critical concerns: Which institution has the infrastructure and expertise to care for such a large number of children, including abandoned newborns? How will poor communities that depend on CWSK for education support continue to send their children to school? What safety nets will be available for rescued children if CWSK ceases operations?
The Kenya Kwanza administration has consistently affirmed its commitment to protecting children’s rights and ensuring that no child is left behind. However, the decision to defund CWSK contradicts this commitment, potentially reversing years of progress in child welfare. The misclassification of CWSK as a professional body, rather than a child protection agency, appears to be an oversight that could have dire implications for the most vulnerable segment of society.
The government must reconsider this decision. President William Ruto’s intervention is urgently needed to reinstate CWSK’s funding and ensure that children in need continue to receive the care and protection they deserve.
CWSK has faithfully fulfilled its mandate for seven decades, working tirelessly to provide a safe and supportive environment for Kenya’s most at-risk children. Its mission remains clear: to promote and secure the rights of children and vulnerable young persons so they can realize their full potential. Defunding this critical agency would be a tragic misstep, jeopardizing the well-being of countless children and leaving them without essential support.
The author is a Trustee at the Child Welfare Society of Kenya
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