The document summarizes AA Rwanda's work in early childhood development in Rwanda. It discusses the key components of ECD programs, interventions implemented, achievements and challenges. The components include early learning, health services, growth monitoring, nutrition, hygiene and child protection. Interventions established community childcare centers, supported parents with materials, and built caregiver capacity. Achievements included over 13,000 children benefiting from ECD services and improved child health, education, nutrition and economic opportunities for parents. Challenges included limited resources and parental inability to pay for food and caregivers.

2. Introduction
Key highlights of AA Rwanda’s work experience on Early Childhood
Development(ECD) in Rwanda:
• ECD Components
• Interventions on ECD
• Achievements
• Learning
• Challenges

3. ECD Components
• Early childhood Development (ECD) Programme provides the following services:
a) Early learning and stimulation
b) Child Health Service
c) Child Growth Monitoring
d) Providing meals and other nutritional services to the child
e) Hygiene and sanitation
f) Child protection services

4. ECD Programme interventions
• Establish model community childcare Centers to advocate for
scale-up
• Supporting parents with ECD necessary materials
• Capacity building of ECD caregivers and parents’ committees
with knowledge and skills on ECD management and care
giving
• Community sensitization on importance of ECD and the role
of parents in ECD management
• Working with community health workers to provide health
services at the ECD

5. ECD Programme interventions cont…..
• Supporting parents with monthly stipends for care givers in initial stages
• Advocate for ECD caregivers to be considered as public employees
• Advocacy for establishment of ECDs in all villages
• Work with Community health workers to monitor child growth and nutritional
status at ECDs

6. Achievements
• AAR has supported communities to establish 4 in Nyanza, 3 in Gisagara and 3
Ruheru in Sothern province. Over 13,000 children (4,391 and 8,469) benefit these
ECDs with quality child development services within the communities
• Parents’ committees were empowered with ECD management skills
• Children have access to safe space to learn and play
• Children are served with nutritious food at ECD

7. Achievements cont….
• Parents were able to form strong working groups/cooperatives for collective
livelihood initiatives
• Parents engaged in income generating activities supply food and drinks for the
children at ECDs
• Due to community childcare centres, mothers increased time for economic
opportunities

8. Learnings
• Improved child health and education
• Reduced malnutrition for children
• Childcare helps with reduction of unpaid care work
• Economic growth for parents
• Children have access to safe space to learn and play

9. Challenges
• Limited resources to reach more communities with support of childcare
center
• Parents with not financial capacity to pay caregivers and provide food for children
at EDCs
• Home-based ECDs are not functioning well due to limited support
• Though Government not paying salaries for all caregivers at all ECDs

10. PICTURE SECTION
Children in ECD activities.

11. Pictures section
Children learning/learning
Children learning/learning

12. Pictures of ECDs
ECD Busasamana ECD Rwabicuma

13. Picture Section
Children playing Children in rest room

14. Children events
Children performance during African
child day Sharing drinks after event

15. During Lunch time at the ECD
Children enjoying drinks Childing having lunch

16. Capacity trainings on ECD management and
care giving
Training of care givers and ECD
committee
Capacity building on formation of ECD
materials from local items

17. Child Growth Monitoring at the ECD

18. “We used to stay home with children before
we get the Early Childhood Development
Centers (ECDs), we could not perform at
work because we were looking after
children quite often. With the ECDs
interventions, we send them there and go
to work. They learn, take porridge and we
return home when the work is done as we
have a hope that our children are taken
care of at ECDs. we are living a better life
when we compare to our past”

19. •
• Thanks