Early childhood development (ECD) is a critical period that continues to impact human health and productivity throughout the lifetime.

It is essential that all sectors of government and society work together to support the holistic development of young children, while supporting their parents and legal guardians in their role of primary caregivers.

A strong public-private and civil society partnership is an essential factor to achieve this vital objective.

Speaking in Gakenke District   during the celebration of International Day of the African Child and the World Day against Child Labour   First lady of Rwanda said that the celebration of  these two days should go along with fighting against all challenges that can hamper growth of a child.

At the event that attracted 3000 participants including government officials and development partners, the First Lady Jeannette Kagame recommended that districts and other institutions to include Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes in their activity plans so as to invest in children’s education.

"We should strive for the rights of children and fight anything that could deter them from good growth, this would help them being open minded and to have positive mind-sets,” she said.

As part of maintaining effective growth of Rwandan Children, government established the National Early Child Development Programme.

Through partnership with stakeholders, over 4,100 Early Child Development Centres (ECD centers) have been established across the country.

Speaking at Nemba in Gakenke district, the First Lady said the Centres have contributed enormously to holistic growth of Children.

At the event, the First Lady was accompanied by Minister Nyirasafari and other officials, and toured Nemba ECD center to witness how children receive health, nutrition, water and sanitation services; parenting education and early learning.

She thanked programme partners in ECD centres for the support in building havens of holistic growth to thousands of Rwandan children, and for giving them a chance to prepare for the world.

"ECD centres you have helped build, have become havens of holistic growth to thousands of Rwandan children, and have given them a chance to prepare for the world that they will one day, pioneer,” Mrs. Kagame told ECD partners.

H.E Jeannette Kagame recommended that districts and other institutions should include ECD programmes activities when doing their development planning saying that it is necessary because it is a good investment which will facilitate Rwanda to have a stable economy based on her children skills,” she noted.

Emphasising on the government efforts to ensure no Child is left out of access to education, Mrs. Kagame said that 8,383 Children were rescued from hard labour and taken back to school since 2016.

The Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Esperance Nyirasafari condemned people who engage teenagers in labour.

"We strongly condemn whoever employs teenagers and other kind of Child Labour because it affects not only Children’s education but also their development and well-being at large,” she said.

The celebrations came after the second ECD symposium themed Shaping Rwanda's future by investing in integrated ECD services which took place on 14 June 2018 in Kigali.

A series of activities bringing awareness to the importance of adopting Early Child Development practices within the families and enabling access to ECD interventions at decentralized level, were also carried out from May to June 2018 by the National Early Childhood Development Program.

Emphasizing on sensitizing stakeholders, parents and the community at large, on the importance of increasing ECD services for the 0-6 year olds, for higher impact on the child's health and future well-being, Dr. Anita Asiimwe, Coordinator of the National Early Child Development Programme. said that scaling up of integrated ECD services to all villages of Rwanda is the overall goal.  "we should understand that investing in early childhood development pays off more in earlier interventions than in post interventions” she said

Early Childhood Development Program to address stunting among children

Fighting stunting among children requires everyone’s efforts if the country’s target to reduce stunting from the current 38 per cent to 19% by 2024 is to be achieved.

This call was made by the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), Madam Esperance Nyirasafari who added that Government has put in place several measures to fight stunting over the years, which has seen figures drop from 42 per cent in 2010 to 38% in 2015.

Without more concerted efforts from parents, the campaign against stunting will be in vain. No parent should allow their child to become stunted. It is the primary responsibility of every parent to ensure that their child grows up normally and healthy.

During the ECD symposium, all the speakers from different institutions involved in Early Childhood Development have noted that challenges which still underlay the fight to end stunting and improving nutrition show need for more budget and parental engagement.

According to Venuste Muhamyankaka the Executive Director of Sun alliance, the umbrella of Civil Society Organisation involved in Nutrition interventions said that the primary purpose to align strategies, programs and resources of its members with country plans to eliminate all forms of Malnutrition.

"There is need for more intervention especially when it comes to commitment in the fight against malnutrition. The budget for nutritional programs is still low and there is need to train more people on nutrition to end stunting in the country” said Muhamyankaka

A day at Mageragere Early Childhood Development center

Located in Mageragera sector in Nyarugenge District about 5km off the main road to Nyamata, the center is home to 132 kids between the ages of 3-6.

As one enters the gates, it is surprising to see that there are no kids lingering outside of playing at the children’s park right in the middle of the center.

Later as am taken around the center, am told by the top class teacher Nizeyimana Eugene that the kids have a certain level of discipline and that they follow a strict time table.

The top class was busy and it was evident that serious business was going on although it took me a while to realize what was happening. The kids were learning but playing at the same time.

For them it was a market day and the noise and activity was of people buying goods while others were selling and mothers were cooking and waiting for food to cook back home.

I was told by their class teacher that this is part of their learning and one that the kids enjoy most.

"We teach them to learn about their environment and the value of money and counting through playing with different toys, bricks and colors and they enjoy it and still acquire a lot from it” says Nizeyimana

He says that the First Lady through Imbuto Foundation with the support of the government has helped set up this center for early childhood development and that it is free for all the kids in the area which is of much help because some parents are really poor and they can't afford putting their children in a private ECD centers.

According to studies on early childhood development, these interventions in the early years have the potential to provide young children with more opportunities and better outcomes in terms of access to education, quality of learning, physical growth and health, and, eventually, productivity.

"This early education that we give these kids is critical as delays in the early years are difficult and costly to reverse later in life. We make sure they love what they do here while we teach them in many ways possible” explains Nizeyimana

As he explains, the bell goes for break time and there is a rush activity as kids start gathering all the toys and stocking them in boxes and ferrying them to their respective places.

"We serve them with a nutritious porridge which they love and look forward to every day. We avoid having stunted children and we make sure that they are well fed” says Uwizeyimana Angelique, a care giver in Mageragere ECD Center.

According to the ECD center assistant coordinator Nyiramugwera Donatha, most cases of stunting are a result of negligence on the side of parents.

"Part of our program is to teach their parents to save and we sensitize them on how to best feed their kids. Many households have the food but a poor mindset, and lack of skills to prepare a balanced diet and, in some cases, irresponsible parenting are the cause” says Nyiramugwera.

This also calls for more house to house sensitization campaigns to teach households, especially in rural areas about ensuring a balanced diet using the available food in households.

These interventions are among the most cost-effective investments a country can make in the human development and capital formation of its people (Heckman 2008) and the impact in poorer communities can be quite stark.

In short, expansion of ECD services throughout Rwanda has the potential to break the cycle of poverty and to act as a great social and economic equalizer.

The goal of the ECD Policy is to ensure all Rwandan children achieve their potential, are healthy, well-nourished and safe, and their mothers, fathers and communities become nurturing caregivers through receiving integrated early childhood development services.