My country Rwanda mainly have three local and state
organizations that are in charge of the Early Childhood Field:
1. The
National Early Childhood Development Program (NECPD) has the general mission
to coordinate all interventions that support adequate early childhood
development for children, from their conception to 6 years of age, as outlined
in the ECD policy. The National ECD Policy and a five-year Strategic Plan were
revised in 2016, and costed and endorsed by the Cabinet in May 2016. These two
policies set out key cross sectoral interventions covering child health and
nutrition, access to safe water and sanitation, hygiene, early childhood
education, child protection and social protection. These interventions aim to
develop ‘children’s full sensory-motor, social-emotional and cognitive-language
potential from conception to the age of six years (Unicef, 2018, p.33).
2. The
“Imbuto Foundation” through which was created in 2013 by her Excellency Mrs
Jeannette Kagame the Early Childhood Development and Family program, to support
the holistic development of children aged 0 to 6 years old. The goal of the
program is to ensure that children are intellectually stimulated, healthy and
safe, while their families and communities are trained to become nurturing
caregivers.
The ECD&Family program is implemented in the following approaches:
• Early Childhood Development centers (3 to 6 years old)
• Home-based services (3 to 6 years old)
• Home-visits (0 to 3 years old)
Through this project:
• 16 functional ECD centers have been established in 15 Districts,
• Over 14,000 children have enrolled in the established ECD centers (Imbuto Foundation, 2019).
The ECD&Family program is implemented in the following approaches:
• Early Childhood Development centers (3 to 6 years old)
• Home-based services (3 to 6 years old)
• Home-visits (0 to 3 years old)
Through this project:
• 16 functional ECD centers have been established in 15 Districts,
• Over 14,000 children have enrolled in the established ECD centers (Imbuto Foundation, 2019).
3. The Unicef supported the Government of Rwanda in
developing its ECD Policy and Strategic Plan in 2011 which aims to promote the
holistic development of all children in Rwanda through the provision of
integrated health, nutritional, early stimulation and learning, and protection
services to families, communities and children between 0 to 6 years (Unicef,
2019).
At the present time, there is no job opportunities
available in these organizations. There are very few consultants in this field.
I think I would want to become one in the objective to teach caregivers in
different early childhood development settings in the urban areas.
References
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Rwanda, 2018.
National Early Childhood Development Program.
Imbuto Foundation, 2019
Unicef, 2019
