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KENYA MARKS WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK 2026 WITH NATIONAL LAUNCH IN MURANG’A COUNTY
Breastfeeding begins with a mother, but it succeeds because of a system that supports her. This message shaped discussions at Kenya’s National Launch of World Breastfeeding Week 2026 in Murang’a County, where stakeholders emphasized that breastfeeding is a shared responsibility. Beyond a mother’s commitment, successful breastfeeding relies on supportive families, responsive health systems, breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, and policies that protect and enable mothers from birth onwards.
Gathering of stakeholders and community members at the National Launch of World Breastfeeding Week 2026
Kenya has made remarkable progress in breastfeeding over the past two decades. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), exclusive breastfeeding among infants under six months has increased from 13.2% in 2003 to about 60% today. Yet this progress also reveals a remaining challenge four in every ten infants are still not exclusively breastfed during their first six months of life. In addition, while nearly 89% of births are attended by skilled health personnel, only around 60% of newborns are breastfed within the first hour after birth, missing a critical window that improves breastfeeding success and newborn survival.
The discussions also challenged the long-held perception that breastfeeding is solely a mother’s responsibility. Speaking during the event, a Community Health Promoter from Murang’a County called on fathers to take a more active role in supporting mothers throughout the breastfeeding journey and in raising young children.
“Men should help mothers during the breastfeeding process. They should not leave all the responsibility to women but support them in raising their children and sharing household duties,” Community Health Promoter from Murang’a County.
Alongside the discussions, Diabetes Awareness Trust showcased its Food Farmacy Initiative at the exhibition area, highlighting the role of healthy diets in improving maternal and child nutrition. The initiative demonstrates how practical nutrition education and healthier food choices can support families throughout the life course, beginning with pregnancy, breastfeeding, and early childhood.
Visitors engaging with the Food Farmacy Initiative exhibition both during the National Launch of World Breastfeeding Week 2026.
These discussions closely reflect Diabetes Awareness Trust’s approach to community nutrition. Through, nutrition education sessions, focus group discussions, and cooking demonstrations to parents with children under five, the organization works to translate nutrition knowledge into practical actions that families can adopt in their everyday lives.
“We target mothers with children under five because, for them to be able to exclusively breastfeed, they need to eat healthy,” Hannah Kigamba, Director at Diabetes Awareness Trust
Community nutrition education session for lactating mothers facilitated by DAT.
