At Child.org, when we say “we’re launching Team Mum in a new county in Kenya,” the immediate question we often hear is: “When will the first Pregnant Women Group (PWG) actually start?”
It’s a valid question and one that highlights the excitement around the life-changing impact of PWGs. However, the launch of the first group is just one piece of a much larger, intentional process. Behind the scenes, there’s a comprehensive cycle designed to ensure the program is effective, sustainable and locally-owned.
Here’s a closer look at our Team Mum Project Implementation Cycle – the foundation that makes it all work:
Phase 1: Preparation & Approval
This is where it all begins. Before stepping into any new community, we:
- Conduct a feasibility study to assess the context, health data and potential impact.
- Sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the County Government to establish partnership and shared responsibility.
- Navigate the ethical approval process to ensure our work upholds the highest standards of accountability and consent.
Why is this phase important? Because we cannot drive meaningful change without community buy-in, ethical safeguards and a grounded understanding of the community setting.
Phase 2: Orientation & Planning
Once the groundwork is laid we move into collaborative planning with health management teams. We:
- Host participatory meetings with the County and Sub-county Health Management Teams to adapt Team Mum’s PWGs into the county’s Maternal and Child Health (MCH) interventions.
- Engage Community Health Assistants to boost program knowledge and ensure Team Mum will work effectively with existing health structures.
Why is this phase important? Orientation sets the tone for co-ownership, alignment with existing health priorities and effective collaboration at all levels of the health system.
Phase 3: Baseline & Selection
With systems aligned, we turn to data and human capacity. We:
- Conduct baseline assessments to understand the maternal and neonatal health status, health-seeking behavior and Maternal and Child Health service availability.
- Select and onboard Community Health Promoters who will be the backbone of our PWGs.
Why is this phase important? Data helps us tailor the intervention to local realities and Community Health Promoters ensure delivery is rooted in community trust.
Phase 4: Capacity Building & Execution
This is the stage where things come to life. We:
- Deliver intensive training for Community Health Promoters on the PWG model, maternal health topics, skills needed to launch and run the groups, and referral pathways.
- Begin recruitment of pregnant women into groups and launch sessions.
Why is this phase important? A strong foundation in knowledge and skills empowers Community Health Promoters to educate and support mothers effectively, leading to better maternal outcomes.
Phase 5: Monitoring & Evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation is not an afterthought at Child.org, it’s an ongoing priority. We:
- Track attendance, referrals, Antenatal Care visits and birth outcomes.
- Conduct routine check-ins and supervision to provide support needed.
- Use data to adapt, improve and advocate for systemic change.
Why is this phase important? Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation ensures we stay responsive, measure impact and make evidence-based decisions and adaptations to ensure the continued success of PWGs.
Why is this implementation cycle so crucial?
Because Child.org believes in intentional, community-driven change. We’re not just running pregnancy support sessions, we’re building sustainable systems that will continue to support maternal and newborn health. Every phase of our implementation cycle is designed to set up PWGs for long-term success.
In Narok, Kenya, the Team is currently on stage four of the implementation process: recruiting pregnant women for PWGs. It has taken a few months – and a lot of hard work! – to get to stage four, which means that Team Mum Narok is built on a strong foundation of planning, partnership and purpose.
Header image: shot by Jeff Mbugua. Features Jacob Chege, Programmes Officer at Child.org, and Nancy, a Community Health Promoter.