Deadline: 03-Jul-2026

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is inviting eligible cooperative unions in Kenya’s tea sector to submit proposals for implementing programmes that prevent and eliminate child labour. The initiative focuses on social protection, occupational safety and health (OSH), sustainable livelihoods, and youth employment in the tea value chains of Kisii, Kericho, Meru, and Nyeri counties. Selected organisations will implement projects over a 20-month period from August 2026 to March 2028.

International Labour Organization Call for Proposals Overview

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched a Call for Proposals to support community-based interventions that address child labour in Kenya’s tea industry.

The programme seeks to strengthen the wellbeing of tea farming communities by improving social protection, workplace safety, livelihoods, and employment opportunities for young people while reducing the factors that contribute to child labour.

Purpose of the Call

The programme aims to:

• Prevent and eliminate child labour in Kenya’s tea value chains
• Improve access to social protection services
• Strengthen occupational safety and health practices
• Support sustainable livelihoods for tea farming communities
• Promote decent work and youth employment
• Improve governance within tea cooperatives
• Enhance the wellbeing of workers and their families

Focus Areas

Projects should address one or more of the following priority areas.

Social Protection

Activities may include:

• Organising social protection awareness events
• Increasing awareness of available social protection programmes
• Enrolling farm workers and cooperative members in social health insurance schemes
• Improving access to social welfare services

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)

Projects may support:

• Improved occupational safety and health management systems
• Workplace safety awareness campaigns
• Safer working environments
• Capacity building on occupational safety practices

Work Improvements for Neighbourhood Development (WIND)

Activities include:

• Improving workplace conditions
• Promoting safer farming practices
• Enhancing productivity through better work environments
• Supporting community-based workplace improvements

Livelihood Development

Funding may support:

• Identifying livelihood needs of beneficiaries
• Providing livelihood support
• Monitoring livelihood interventions
• Strengthening household economic resilience

Cooperative Development

Projects may focus on:

• Strengthening cooperative governance
• Improving management systems
• Enhancing service delivery
• Building institutional capacity

Youth Employment and Skills Development

Activities may include:

• Identifying adolescent beneficiaries
• Supporting vocational skills development
• Promoting youth employment opportunities
• Facilitating pathways to decent work

Geographic Coverage

Eligible projects must operate within tea value chains located in the following counties:

• Kisii County
• Kericho County
• Meru County
• Nyeri County

Implementation Period

• Project duration: 20 months
• Implementation period: August 2026 – March 2028

The implementation agreement may be renewed based on:

• Organisational performance
• Availability of programme funding

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants must:

• Be cooperative unions operating within Kenya’s tea value chains
• Be legally registered in Kenya
• Have active operations in Kisii, Kericho, Meru, or Nyeri counties
• Demonstrate experience implementing community-based development programmes
• Have the capacity to deliver projects related to:
  • Social protection
  • Occupational safety and health
  • Livelihood development
  • Youth employment

How the Programme Works (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

Ensure your organisation:

• Operates within the tea value chain
• Is legally registered in Kenya
• Works in one or more eligible counties
• Meets the programme’s capacity requirements

Step 2: Develop a Project Proposal

Prepare a proposal that clearly explains:

• The child labour challenge being addressed
• Planned interventions
• Expected outcomes
• Beneficiaries
• Implementation timeline
• Organisational experience

Step 3: Align with Programme Priorities

Ensure proposed activities support one or more focus areas, including:

• Social protection
• Occupational safety and health
• Livelihoods
• Youth employment
• Cooperative strengthening

Step 4: Submit the Proposal

Complete and submit the proposal with all required supporting documents before the application deadline.

Step 5: Project Implementation

Successful organisations will implement approved activities during the 20-month implementation period.

Step 6: Monitoring and Reporting

Implementing organisations will monitor project progress, report results, and demonstrate measurable impact in reducing child labour.

Why This Call Matters

The programme contributes to:

• Reducing child labour in agricultural supply chains
• Improving worker safety and wellbeing
• Strengthening rural livelihoods
• Expanding access to social protection
• Creating employment opportunities for young people
• Building stronger and more effective tea cooperatives
• Supporting sustainable and responsible tea production

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying without operating within the eligible tea value chains
• Proposing activities unrelated to child labour prevention
• Failing to demonstrate organisational capacity
• Providing unrealistic implementation plans
• Submitting incomplete proposals
• Not showing how activities will benefit target communities
• Ignoring occupational safety or livelihood components

Tips for a Strong Proposal

• Clearly explain how the project will reduce child labour
• Demonstrate strong experience in community-based programming
• Include measurable outcomes and indicators
• Present a realistic implementation schedule
• Show collaboration with local communities and stakeholders
• Highlight sustainable livelihood strategies
• Demonstrate organisational capacity to deliver all planned activities

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Who can apply for this Call for Proposals?

Legally registered cooperative unions operating within Kenya’s tea value chains in the eligible counties.

2. Which counties are eligible?

Projects must operate in Kisii, Kericho, Meru, or Nyeri counties.

3. How long is the implementation period?

The implementation agreement lasts 20 months, from August 2026 to March 2028.

4. What types of activities are supported?

Projects focusing on social protection, occupational safety and health, livelihoods, cooperative strengthening, and youth employment.

5. Can the implementation agreement be renewed?

Yes. Renewal may be considered based on performance and the availability of funding.

6. What is the main objective of the programme?

To prevent and eliminate child labour within Kenya’s tea value chains through integrated community-based interventions.

7. What organisational experience is required?

Applicants should demonstrate experience implementing programmes related to social protection, occupational safety and health, livelihoods, and youth employment.

Conclusion

The International Labour Organization’s Call for Proposals offers cooperative unions in Kenya’s tea sector an opportunity to implement comprehensive programmes that address the root causes of child labour. By combining social protection, safer working conditions, sustainable livelihoods, and youth employment initiatives, the programme promotes decent work and strengthens community resilience.

Through collaborative, community-based interventions, the initiative supports safer tea value chains while improving the wellbeing of workers, families, and young people across Kisii, Kericho, Meru, and Nyeri counties.

For more information, visit ILO.