Last week, Lift the Children (LTC) proudly participated in the inaugural Children Advisory Council (CAC) meeting in Embakasi East Sub-County, Nairobi. This historic milestone came as a result of the Children Act, 2022, which mandates the establishment of CACs at county and sub-county levels to guide child protection planning and coordination.

The meeting brought together more than 30 key stakeholders, including representatives from three LTC-supported children’s homes: Mum’s Love Children’s Home, Smile Community Centre, and Serah Vision Children’s Home. These institutions shared their experiences working with vulnerable children in one of Nairobi’s most underserved areas.

Discussions during the session tackled a range of urgent issues affecting children, including:

• Community-based diversion programs for children in conflict with the law
• The impact of teen pregnancies under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC)
• Rising cases of child neglect, defilement, substance abuse, and abandonment

LTC contributed valuable insights drawn from our on-the-ground experience and emphasized the growing challenges CCIs (Charitable Children Institutions) face as they begin transitioning into Child Welfare Programs. We advocated for structured government support, greater coordination between state and non-state actors, and stronger grassroots engagement to create sustainable change.

The Embakasi East CAC meeting marks a promising step forward in building a more responsive and united child protection system. LTC remains committed to being a catalyst for positive change—ensuring that every child, regardless of background, is seen, heard, and protected.