By Chelangat Caren,
Daystar University has secured a KES 17.5 million national grant to lead one of Kenya’s most comprehensive studies on child labour to date, placing the institution at the centre of policy conversations on children’s rights and education.
The project, awarded in May 2026, will map the scale, drivers, and regional patterns of child labour across all 47 counties. It is being conducted in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Labour Organization .
“Research for Action”
Daystar University Vice Chancellor Prof. Laban P. Ayiro is serving as the Principal Investigator. Speaking during recent university engagements, Prof. Ayiro has emphasized the link between culture, virtue, and human formation in tackling systemic social issues , a framework he says will also guide this study.
“Child labour is not just a statistic. It’s about children who should be in classrooms, not in hazardous work,” a member of the research team noted. “This grant allows us to move from assumptions to evidence that can shape county and national policy.”
Why It Matters Now
Kenya has made strides in education access, but pockets of child labour persist, especially in informal sectors, agriculture, and urban street economies. By covering all 47 counties, the Daystar-led study aims to provide county-specific data that policymakers, NGOs, and faith-based organisations can use to target interventions.
The research will also assess how factors like school fees, household income, and migration influence child labour trends ,findings that tie directly to Daystar’s focus on family, education, and community welfare.
A University-Wide Commitment
The grant adds to Daystar’s growing research profile. In June alone, the university hosted an Entrepreneurship Expo for student-led businesses, launched academic excellence awards, and strengthened international partnerships in nursing education with Taylor University.
For students, the project opens doors to field research, data analysis, and advocacy experience. Several School of Business and Social Sciences students are expected to support data collection and dissemination in the coming months.
Fieldwork is set to begin this trimester, with preliminary findings expected before the end of 2026. The final report will be shared with the Ministry of Labour, county governments, and UN partners to inform Kenya’s next phase of child protection strategies.
As Prof Ayiro put it during the KESSHA Conference: building strong schools and communities requires both virtue and evidence. With this study, Daystar is contributing both.