Teenage Mother conference 22/23 January 2026 in Tongaren, Western Kenya at CHW Center
This week’s ongoing Teenage Mother Conference in Western Kenya demonstrates what is possible when civil society, business, and public stakeholders work together with a shared, long-term perspective.
Over the past two years, System Changer Network (SCN) Kenya, in partnership with ChildFund Deutschland, ChildFund Kenya and BMZ, and supported by Boehringer Ingelheim’s Making More Health Initiative, has implemented a systemic teenage mother empowerment program. The focus goes beyond short-term aid and addresses root causes: health education, prevention, psychosocial support, life skills, and pathways back into education or income generation.
The results have triggered strong interest from county governments, national institutions, and local stakeholders, who recognize that teenage pregnancy is not only a social issue but a development, health, and economic challenge. The relevance of this work was also reflected in more than three minutes of prime coverage on West Kenya News, amplifying the message far beyond the conference room.
What makes this approach relevant for business leaders?
• It is preventive rather than reactive, reducing long-term social and health costs
• It is network-driven, scaling impact through collaboration instead of isolated projects
• It aligns health, education, and economic resilience — key pillars of sustainable development
Looking ahead
SCN Kenya will continue and expand this work, strengthening collaboration with international players and actively welcoming new partners from the private sector, foundations, and impact-driven organizations.
A final reflection
Without strong health systems and health prevention, there is no sustainable empowerment for teenage mothers — and no resilient communities. Investing in prevention is not only a moral responsibility, it is a strategic one. And this becomes even more relevant in times when long-term, trust-based partnerships are essential to enable innovation and create solutions that truly last.
SCN Open Day 2025 – A Celebration of Connection and Collaboration
On 30 September 2025 we celebrated our 1st SCN Open Day in Webuye, Kenya at one of our NGO centers, GAASPP. The SCN Open Day 2025 brought together a diverse community of changemakers, innovators, and local leaders from Kenya, Uganda, Germany and some other countries. The event highlighted Collaborating for holistic impact through systemic change and showcased with an interactive exhibition the ongoing efforts to foster sustainable development, cultural exchange, and community activation. We were honoured to welcome the governor of BUngoma county and the member of parlament.
Find here some impressions, a video and some media publications of the day
SCN Video presentation during SCN Open Day 2025
During an Exposure tour the following day to the SCN partner NGO Core Health & Wealth International in Tongaren ca. 30 participants could get insights in our holistic activities with farmer cooperatives. We are ready to welcome you o our SCN Open Day 2026 – stay tuned!
SCN Kenya 