Through the help and funds of Plan International Rwanda, Caritas Rwanda has been implementing an ECD project in the districts of Bugesera, Gatsibo, and Nyaruguru from October 2022 to June 2025. The project’s main objective is to enhance knowledge and comprehension of various topics, including positive parenting, male involvement in childcare, hygiene and sanitation, balanced diet preparation, and promoting play and early learning. These initiatives target parents, caregivers, and the community at large. In addition, fathers’ clubs were established to encourage men’s participation in ECD and to enhance their understanding of their responsibilities in nurturing care.
Why invest in ECD? Early childhood is a critical period characterized by rapid transformations in a child’s cognitive, physical, emotional, and language development. This phase presents a unique opportunity for lifelong development.
The project’s specific objective revolves around the ECD 6 pillars:
ADEQUATE NUTRITION
We provide support to families with children under the age of six, helping them restore and maintain a healthy and nutritious diet.
HEALTH
We ensure children’s health with the assistance of community health workers and caregivers.
WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH)
We raise awareness among parents, caregivers, and the wider community about the crucial role of hygiene and sanitation in a child’s growth. Additionally, providing support to ECDs by offering hygiene kits to complement parents’ efforts.
CHILD PROTECTION AND INCLUSIVENESS
The project raises the awareness of parents, caregivers, and the entire community, on creating a safe and nurturing environment for children from conception to the age of six. It emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and discourages the segregation of children, especially those with disabilities.
SCHOOL READINESS/ OPPORTUNITIES FOR EARLY LEARNING
Parents are trained on how to engage and play with their children and make toys from readily available materials because every interaction a child has with people, places, and objects in their environment affects brain development and lays the groundwork for future learning.
PARENTING EDUCATION
Parents and other caregivers are in the optimal position to provide nurturing care for their children. Given their irreplaceable role in the growth and development of children, they undergo training to effectively cater to their children’s holistic well-being.
To learn more about the ECD Project, watch the videos below: