Dr Phoebe Asiyo » Capital News
By Hanna Cheptumo, CS Gender, Culture and Children Services
On behalf of the Government of Kenya and the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services, we honour and celebrate the life of Dr. Phoebe Muga Asiyo—a true icon and trailblazer in the realm of childcare, welfare, and protection.
Dr. Asiyo’s remarkable legacy, shaped by her love, generosity, passion, and unwavering commitment to children, has left an indelible mark on the nation’s social development. She was a formidable force in shaping Kenya’s childcare and welfare systems, especially during her transformative tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the Child Welfare Society of Kenya—then the sole institution mandated to provide care and protection services for children.
Beginning in 1969, her visionary leadership played a pivotal role in operationalising foundational child protection laws, including the Children and Young Persons Act (Cap 141), the Adoption Act (Cap 143), and the Guardianship of Infants Act (Cap 144). These acts laid the legal groundwork for the robust child protection framework we have today.
Among her most impactful contributions was the institutionalisation and localisation of adoption in Kenya. At a time when adoption was relatively unknown and misunderstood, Dr. Asiyo championed it as a viable, structured, and compassionate option for children in need of families. She helped embed the practice within our judicial and social systems in ways that made it culturally sensitive and effective.
Her legacy also includes the professionalisation of social work in Kenya. She strongly advocated for a trained and skilled social workforce, championing institutions like the School of Social Work and promoting standards that ensured those working with vulnerable children were equipped with the necessary tools and compassion to serve effectively.
Dr. Asiyo was a vocal advocate for Alternative Family Care—pushing for placing children in nurturing family environments through guardianship, foster care, and adoption. Her advocacy transformed thousands of lives and helped shift national thinking toward more family-based care models, even during periods of significant social and economic strain.
As a nation, we are deeply indebted to Mama Phoebe. Her pioneering work built the very foundations of our child welfare and protection systems. Today, Kenya’s children are safer, better cared for, and more empowered because of her lifelong dedication.
We celebrate this extraordinary woman and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and all whose lives she touched.
Farewell, Hon. Dr. Phoebe Muga Asiyo.
Your legacy lives on, and your memory will be eternally cherished.