Caring Blocks: Neighborhood Childcare Hubs to Advance Women's Economic Power in Nigeria

Blessing Adesiyan of the MH Institute for WorkLife Care and Policy Research Africa in Nigeria will establish 300 high-quality, cost-efficient childcare hubs across three states in Nigeria to increase women's economic potential. They will pilot three childcare models: direct care to families via a certified care worker, enrolling employees into an employer- or government-sponsored program, and community-based childcare. Partnering with government agencies to ensure meeting local and national care standards, they will identify suitable neighborhoods and workplaces as sites, screen and recruit care workers, and enroll children. They will build a technology platform, named Caring Blocks, where employees can access childcare hubs for on-demand, back-up, or long-term childcare. They will use this platform to get feedback and monitor outcomes, while exploring sustainable funding models for the childcare hubs.