3 months later….

Dear Friends,

Early childhood education and development programs provide an opportunity for children from deprived backgrounds to receive stimulation and social interaction they may lack at home. The government of Zimbabwe has introduced 9 years of primary education of which the 2 years should be dedicated to ECD.

Nhaka Foundation compliments the government effort to provide early learning. At this stage children learn through play. The concept of learning through playing is not well known and communities are reluctant to receive it. Thus intensive awareness about  importance of ECD is carried  out in schools and communities. Nhaka foundation in partnership  with the Ministry  of Primaryand Secondary education conducts various trainings in Mwanza, Dudzu, Dzvete,Rusike, Chinyika (wards of Goromonzi district.)

ECD is the entry point for other projects undertaken in the communities we operate. Nhaka Foundation identifies orphans and vulnerable children and provides required assistance. The sponsorship program caters for education assistance that is paying for school fees and provides uniforms and stationery for  children in ECD and  other grades. A partnership with the Ministry of Health  was formed to carry out the health assessments on children in ECD. This partnership  assists children   to be treated of minor ailments before they get become more acute. In case of major illness the children are referred for attention to major hospitals.

Birth registration is also considered at this stage .Children without birth certificates are identified and referred to relevant authorities so  they may be registered. A feeding program is implemented in these wards so to ensure the ECD children's basic needs are catered for.

Currently more than 2 000 children are on the feeding program. The porridge and maheu that the children receive does not only provide a supplementary meal but provide the children with a

nutritious meal that aids their physical development. The provision of food in ECD has encouraged caregivers to enrol their children into   ECD since they do not have to worry about the  food that their children must carry  to school.

To facilitate conducive learning  environments ,ECD teachers need to be equipped with different skills. Nhaka Foundation partners with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to train and refresh them on different issues. Currently 4 workshops were done with 40 teachers  from Chikwaka  and

Chinyika clusters. The training was on ECD syllabus and out door playground equipment. An exchange visit was facilitated among schools to exchange ideas on issues of ECD.

The ECD program is an important part of the work done by Nhaka Foundation. We are able to ensure that vulnerable and underprivileged children enjoy equal opportunities to succeed and are able to live a fulfilled life. ECD sets the foundation for a child's future education and plays a major role in their future academic success. Therefore it is important that the needs of the

children are met at this crucial a point.

Get in touch with us, send us an email or message on our Facebook wall! We would love to hear back from you!

Best wishes,

Shana and Grace