I created Nanny Training Tanzania after seeing a clear gap between the enormous responsibility nannies carry and the professional training available to them. Families entrust caregivers with children during their most important developmental years, yet many nannies have had little opportunity to learn about child development, positive discipline, play, nutrition, safety or professional practice.
As an early childhood educator and preschool founder, I saw this gap repeatedly in my work with children, families and caregivers. I also saw that nannying is often treated as unskilled domestic work, despite the knowledge, judgement and responsibility good childcare requires.
I wanted to create training that was practical, affordable and relevant to the realities of working nannies in Tanzania. Nanny Training Tanzania was created to give caregivers the knowledge and confidence to provide better care, while helping women develop professional skills, recognition and greater opportunities within the childcare workforce.
Ultimately, the innovation addresses two connected needs: better professional opportunities for women and better-quality care and early learning experiences for children.
Nanny Training Tanzania is a practical, modular training program for nannies and caregivers. Participants attend interactive sessions covering child development, learning through play, positive discipline, screen time and the developing brain, nutrition, hygiene, first aid, professionalism and appropriate workplace boundaries.
Training is designed around situations caregivers encounter every day. Rather than relying on lectures, we use discussion, demonstrations, role play, practical activities and real-life scenarios so participants can immediately apply what they learn with the children in their care. Bilingual support in English and Kiswahili helps make the program accessible.
Caregivers can complete modules progressively while continuing to work, with certificates recognising their participation and progress. We also adapt and deliver training directly for childcare centres and other organisations employing caregivers.
Since launching in 2023, more than 200 caregivers have participated in our training and three organisations have commissioned training directly. The program has generated approximately TZS 30 million in revenue, demonstrating demand from both individual caregivers and employers.
Our approach combines early childhood education with workforce development: improving the knowledge and confidence of caregivers while professionalising childcare as skilled work.
Since launching in 2023, Nanny Training Tanzania has grown primarily through word of mouth, referrals from families and caregivers, social media, and partnerships with organisations that employ childcare staff. More than 200 nannies and caregivers have now participated in our training, and three organisations have commissioned training directly for their staff.
Over the past two years, we have developed the program into a structured eight-module course and expanded from training individual nannies to providing customised training for childcare organisations. The fact that participants and organisations are willing to pay for training has helped demonstrate both demand and the potential for a sustainable model.
Our next stage is to expand beyond our current reach in Dar es Salaam. We aim to train more facilitators, develop partnerships with employers and childcare organisations, provide subsidised places for women who cannot afford training, and strengthen assessment and certification. We are also exploring pathways towards greater formal recognition of the training.
Our goal is to create a model that can be replicated in other communities while remaining practical, affordable and relevant to local childcare contexts.
Since launching Nanny Training Tanzania in 2023, we have continually adapted the program in response to participant feedback and our experience delivering training. What began as individual training sessions has developed into a structured eight-module program covering the key areas caregivers need in their everyday work.
We have made the training increasingly practical and interactive, adding role play, demonstrations, group activities and real-life childcare scenarios rather than relying on lecture-based teaching. We have also developed bilingual English and Kiswahili materials and provide language support where needed, making the training accessible to caregivers with different educational backgrounds.
As demand has grown, we have expanded beyond training individual nannies to delivering customised programs for childcare centres and other organisations. We have also refined our certification structure so caregivers can build their training progressively over several modules.
These changes have been driven by a simple principle: the program must remain affordable, accessible and directly relevant to the realities of caring for children in Tanzania.
To try Nanny Training Tanzania, caregivers can register for one of our practical training modules and build their skills progressively through the eight-module program. Organisations can also contact us to arrange customised training for their childcare staff.
The program can be adapted to different settings while retaining its core approach: affordable, practical training based on real childcare situations, delivered through discussion, demonstration, role play and hands-on activities. Bilingual support can be provided where needed.
For organisations interested in replicating the model, we can share our training approach and explore partnerships to deliver the program in new communities.
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