By Khadija Mbesa
Press Release
Nairobi October 25/2021: The Aga khan University’s Institute for Human Development (IHD) has launched an Early Childhood Education virtual hub to advance the wellbeing of children and families.
The hub, aims to bridge gaps that hinder children in resource constrained and marginalized areas from achieving their development potential, robbing them of a chance to compete with their counterparts in high resource settings on an equal footing. It will provide relevant information, courses and trainings to caregivers, frontline workers, policy markers, practitioners and other key stakeholders in Early Childhoods Development, (ECD).
Established through generous funding from UNICEF, the LEGO Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation, Hilton Foundation and Johnson & Johnson, the ECD Workforce Hub will focus on the most marginalized and disadvantages communities.
Speaking at the Launch, Chief Justice Martha Koome said, the launch of this ECD Workforce Hub is a momentous event given that it targets the advancement and protection, of a vulnerable segment of our community, that is Children.
“Now more that ever, there is a need for coordinated efforts among health, education, child protection, and social protection sectors to ensures holistic support for children in the early years. Early childhood care and development is central to the lives of every family with young children. Given the Hub’s focus to children, their caregivers and the care-giving environment, its establishment resonates with our constitution’s vision of the family serving as the foundation of the society” says Martha Koome.
Recent work by UNICEF shows that ECD receives the least resources, with higher education getting the most resources, and has the least well-trained personnel serving children.
Dr Amina Abubakar, Director of IHD, said the Hub will translate scientific material into practical information, which can be used to advance holistic child development.
“More than 250 million Children globally, and especially in low and middle-income countries like Kenya, are at risk of not reaching their development potential due to chronic poverty, lack of access to healthcare, good nutrition and responsive care. Through this Hub, we plan to train the ECD Workforce to provide high quality and accessible programs and services for the most marginalized children”
The ECD workforce hub can be easily accessed by phone, tablet or a computer. There will be trainings and events which will be available on demand to all members.
Cr. Carol Oyola, Communications Manager EA