They are the invisible engine of Kenya’s economy, the women who allow other women to work. Yet, the paid childcare sector remains a zone of shocking exploitation, with a new report revealing that 75.8% of these essential workers earn less than KSh 10,000 a month—far below the government’s own minimum wage.

The findings are contained in a damning baseline study by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and the Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW). The report paints a grim picture of a sector defined by informality, abuse, and a complete lack of state protection.

"We Are Nobody's Priority"

The story of "Jane" (not her real name), a 29-year-old nanny in Nairobi’s Eastlands, epitomises the crisis. "I work from 5 AM to 9 PM," she says. "I wash, I cook, I feed the baby. I have no contract. At the end of the month, I am given KSh 6,000. If I complain, they tell me there are ten other girls waiting to take my job."

Jane is part of the 95% of the workforce that is female, predominantly young women aged between 18 and 35. According to the study, only 13% of these workers earn enough to meet their basic needs. The rest exist in a state of chronic working poverty, unable to afford the very care they provide to others.

• The Legal Black Hole: Despite the existence of the Domestic Workers Order, enforcement is virtually non-existent. 88% of childcare workers operate without a written contract. This lack of documentation makes it impossible to seek redress for wage theft or unfair dismissal.
• Violence and Harassment: The workplace—often a private home—is a danger zone. The COVAW assessment found that 70% of workers have received no training on preventing or responding to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), despite high rates of reported abuse by male employers or relatives in the households they serve.

The Economic Blind Spot

Economists argue that the undervaluation of this sector is costing Kenya billions. "When childcare is affordable and reliable, it unlocks the productivity of mothers," says development economist Dr. Stella Nyanchama. "But we are building this on the backs of exploited women. It is a false economy."

The report calls for urgent policy interventions, including the formalisation of the sector, mandatory contracts, and state-subsidised childcare centres that can guarantee decent wages for workers. "We need to stop seeing childcare as 'help' and start seeing it as a profession," the WUSC report concludes.

For Jane, however, policy debates feel like a luxury. Her reality is the next diaper change, the next pile of dishes, and the hope that at the end of the month, she will actually get paid.