‘Early learning key to children’s growth’
The Anglican Council of Malawi (ACM) has underscored the need to invest in early childhood development (ECD) programme in Mchinji District for children to have a solid start in life.
The organisation’s ECD officer Phales Njunga said this on Friday at Mpamba Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Dambe during a media tour to appreciate the impact of ECD programme implemented in the area under the Sustainable Food Systems for Rural Agriculture Transformation and Resilience (Transform) programme.
She said: “ECD has proven that children who transition from community-based childcare centres [CBCCs] to primary schools excel in class work because they are able to read and write; hence, the need to invest in the programme to make it more successful.
“As an organisation, we are committed to ensure we improve the quality of ECD by, among others, constructing permanent CBCCs, training more caregivers and ensuring that children are receiving proper care in the centres.”
Njunga said since 2020, they have established 21 CBCCs, taking on board 3 289 children with 210 caregivers in Kapiri Extension Planning (EPA) area in the district.
Group village head Kapamba said the CBCC in the area has helped many children to access early learning.
He appealed to ACM through the Transform project to construct a model CBCC in the area.
“The CBCC has benefited us a lot because our children are learning and developing well at a young age,” he said.
One of the caregivers at Kapamba CBCC, Esther Sosten, said the CBCC which opened in March this year, has 96 children.
ACM is implementing the Transform programme in the district funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and coordinated in the country by DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid.
