Jocelyne Mpila, 34, is at the center of a new initiative supporting early childhood care in Brazzaville. As a “Mama Mobokoli,” or community childcare provider, she works with children under three years old to encourage their learning and development through play. “I chose this job wholeheartedly,” she said. “Working with children is truly my vocation.”
Mpila’s journey began when she was listed among the 800,000 individuals registered in the Unique Social Registry (RSU), a program created by the Congolese government with support from the World Bank to identify and help vulnerable people. Coming from a modest background and unable to continue her studies beyond high school, Mpila previously supported herself through small business activities.
Her career changed direction when she was selected for training as part of the Social Protection and Productive Inclusion of Youth (PSIPJ) project, which succeeded the Lisungi social safety net system during the Covid-19 pandemic. The PSIPJ project draws on models such as Kenya’s Kidogo initiative and partners with NGOs like MEDRAC Africa to train “Mamapreneurs” — women who receive instruction in childcare, business management, first aid, fire safety, and child protection.
Mpila started her training while seven months pregnant. She recalled: “I was often tired and unwell, sometimes taking three buses to get to the training site.” Despite these difficulties, she completed her coursework with assistance from PSIPJ in the form of bi-monthly conditional cash transfers for transportation and food.
After recovering from childbirth, Mpila resumed her training alongside her newborn child and completed an internship at a public crèche managed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Humanitarian Action. This led to certification from the General Directorate of Qualifying Training and Employment.
Sixteen women were trained in the project’s first cohort. Five now work with Mpila at Soukissa market nursery — Brazzaville’s first community crèche opened in July 2025 — while six others are assigned to a second crèche at Total market in Bacongo district. Both nurseries quickly reached or exceeded their intended capacity within weeks of opening due to demand for affordable childcare services.
“There is clearly a substantial need,” said Barth Oko, project manager at MEDRAC Africa. “We continue to identify potential sites for new nurseries, not only in Brazzaville but also in Pointe-Noire.”
Looking ahead, Jocelyne Mpila plans further expansion of Soukissa market nursery and hopes eventually to manage her own facility. “I am ambitious and confident that I will achieve great success,” she said.