The First Lady Jeannette Kagame has urged parents and local leaders to work together, to ensure early childhood development for children, as it is critical in building the foundation of their development.

Mrs Kagame was speaking, yesterday, after laying a foundation stone for the construction of an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre in Karambi Cell, Kivumu Sector in Rutsiro District.

The Karambi ECD is being constructed by Imbuto Foundation with support from the Tamari Foundation and Rutsiro District.

The facility will have three stimulation rooms, a kitchen, and sports facilities, among others, with a capacity of hosting 120 children at the centre and 300 children in home-based ECD centres.

In line with giving back to the community, the Tamari Foundation is establishing an ECD centre near its coffee plantations and washing stations, located in the area.

While addressing hundreds of area residents and government officials, Mrs. Kagame noted that early childhood development is a foundation for all children.

In ECD, children are supported to develop their talent, learn proper hygiene, and to play together to aid in awakening their brains, she said.

"Caring for children starts early, it starts from parents talking about the number of children a family should have based on the family capacity, caring for a pregnant woman and saving for the child’s development needs,” said the First Lady, who is also the Chairperson of Imbuto Foundation.

She explained that the ECD programme is a combination of services offered to children, starting from a mother’s early pregnancy stage, up until the age of six years. This is meant to ensure the child’s physical, mental, intellectual and social growth.

"The main reason to take care of children at this stage is because it is a critical age where the baby’s brain grows faster,” Mrs Kagame said.

Citing research, she added that at the age of three the child’s brain growth stands at 80 per cent, while the remaining 20 per cent is achieved at the age of six.

"This is a critical stage. When the child is not cared for at this age, it is difficult to change the situation. However, if the child is taken care of, they get a strong foundation for their entire life, are self confident and well disciplined to fulfill their responsibilities,” Mrs Kagame noted.

ECD programme for Rwandans, she said, is not new, as traditionally, taking care of children and expectant mothers was a habit.

"We only need to understand this well and apply it, we also need to train our children, so that they grow with this spirit,” the First Lady told the gathering.

She hailed Tamari Foundation for the will to support education in Rwanda, adding that it was a clear indication of giving back to the community.

"We are grateful for your generous contribution, which supports our national efforts for the promotion of Early Childhood Development,” the First Lady said.

The facility is expected to be completed by March 2017, according to field officials.

Local leaders and area residents were upbeat, saying the new facility will effectively contribute to the growth of their children.

"The new centre was long overdue and will contribute to our children’s intellectual and physical growth. Our children used to start school at the age of seven or above without a firm foundation,” said Furaha Yankurije, a mother of six in Kivumu.

Currently, there are 10 ECD centres in 10 districts with 6,067 children benefiting from them. However, the target is to have an ECD centre in all 30 districts in the next six years, according to the First Lady.

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