Church of Uganda partners with UNICEF to increase access to Early Childhood Development services

Church of Uganda partners with UNICEF to increase access to Early Childhood Development services.

Church of Uganda partners with UNICEF to increase access to quality integrated Early Childhood Development services.

The Church of Uganda and the United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) have partnered to increase access to quality integrated Early Childhood Development (ECD) services by boys and girls through community based early childhood education (ECE) centers in 12 districts.

The Districts include  Koboko, Lamwo, Madi-Okollo, Terego, Isingiro, Kamwenge, Kasese, Mubende, Abim, Kaabong, Karenga and Wakiso.

This partnership will help to increase knowledge, skills and practices in caring, raising and stimulating children by targeted adolescents, caregivers and leaders at targeted Early Childhood Development Centers, communities and households.

Speaking at the implementation entry meeting which took place today at the Provincial Secretariat of Church of Uganda in Namirembe, the National Program Coordinator for this Partnership Peter Ssenkumba noted that 121 ECD centres will be established and 363 caregivers will undergo thorough training to deliver excellent results.

“We will establish 121 community based ECD centres targeting 9,075 children aged 3 – 5 years (50% girls), 2%(182) children with disabilities and 10% (907) refugee children. Noting that ECD centres remain closed as a countrywide strategy to combat the spread of Covid-19, beneficiary children will be sought from homes and villages basing on the mapped 121 ECD centres.” Ssenkumba said.

Ssenkumba added that the Church of Uganda community-based groups will include two parents’ groups and youths at each of the 121 ECD centers and each group is expected to reach a minimum of 9,075 adolescents and 9,075 parents a year.

The Provincial Secretary of Church of Uganda, Rev Canon William Ongeng  applauded UNICEF for establishing this longtime partnership which will go along way to help and transform communities.

“We have a historic partnership with UNICEF which we are very proud of tarhetichildren but in actual sense, we are building a strong foundation for the future” He added.

Rev Canon Ongwen observed the way we look after the children and equip them today will determine the future parents and leaders we shall have in future.

According to Nada Elattar the program manager for Early Childhood Development in UNICEF Uganda, the Church of Uganda has over the years diligently executed partnerships with excellence which motivated them to enter into another partnership and pledged continued support to Church of Uganda in its programs and projects to continue transforming communities. 

The meeting was also attended by Daphine Mugizi and Agnes Balongo the ECD specialist and Social Behavioral Change Communication Specialist for UNICEF Uganda.

Also present at the meeting were the Church of Uganda’s Provincial Treasurer Balaam Muheebwa, Human Resource Manager Jane Kigundu, Gender and Social Justice Officer Ms Irene Anena, Children’s ministry coordinator Rev Richard Rukundo, Program Officer in the Directorate of Health Stephen Angalla, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Obadiah Kashemeire among others.