Jamaa Na Afya Ya Mtoto: Kinship, Nuptiality and Child Outcomes in Kenya

Abstract

Jamaa na Afya ya Mtoto presents findings from the JAMO project, a longitudinal mixed?methods study conducted with 1,203 mothers (18-29 years) and their young children living in Nairobi's urban slums from 2020 to 2025. The brief explores how different forms of family support particularly maternal and paternal kinship support and the context of mothers unions influence infant and child developmental outcomes. By examining the interplay of kinship bonds and nuptiality, the study identifies family support models that offer optimum protection and positive child outcomes amid urban vulnerabilities, highlighting implications for policy and urban health interventions targeting mothers and young children in similar low?income settings.