Episcopal Relief & Development Receives Grant from Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for Early Childhood Development Work

August 16, 2022

Episcopal Relief & Development has received a $3 million grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to grow the organization’s Moments That Matter® early childhood development program partnership in Kenya and start up the program in the Nampula Province of Mozambique.

“We are extremely grateful for the continued partnership of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and its commitment to early childhood development and vulnerable children up to age 3, especially in our Moments That Matter® program,” said Geraldine Sicola, Director of Early Childhood Development, Episcopal Relief & Development. “This generous 32-month grant will support the program’s expansion into the Western Region of Kenya and formalize our new partnership in Mozambique.”

Since 2012, Moments That Matter® (MTM) has been mobilizing communities and empowering caregivers in Africa so that vulnerable children reach their full developmental potential. The program, which is Episcopal Relief & Development’s flagship integrated early childhood development partnership, is a community-led approach based on the Nurturing Care Framework. 

Local partners such as Anglican Development Services-Nyanza (ADS-Nyanza) and the Anglican Diocese of Nampula equip volunteers, faith leaders and local stakeholders while empowering caregivers with parenting knowledge and skills, thereby helping children reach their cognitive, language, social, emotional and physical developmental milestones. 

Earlier investments from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation contributed to the program’s growth through monitoring, evaluation and research combined with learning and adaptation processes between 2012-2021. Most recently the Hilton Foundation’s support funded an implementation research study, led by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) from 2018 to 2021, as well as additional work in Kenya and Zambia.

In Kenya, this new grant will support and strengthen the capacity of existing MTM infrastructure while expanding into two new counties and supporting program evaluation. In Mozambique, this grant will support Episcopal Relief & Development’s onboarding of a new partner, the Anglican Diocese of Nampula, to launch the MTM Program in Monapo County.

“More vulnerable children will now receive care that supports their health and development,” said Priscilla Amuah, Senior Program Officer, Episcopal Relief & Development. “Children and their families are much better served when we work within the family unit and share essential parenting practices which family members can easily adopt.”

In total, this two-country project will support close to 10,000 Primary Caregivers and over 11,800 children between the ages of 0 and 3. Learn more about Episcopal Relief & Development’s integrated early childhood development programs here.

For over 80 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working together with supporters and partners for lasting change around the world. Each year the organization facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives for close to 3 million people struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, Episcopal Relief & Development leverages the expertise and resources of Anglican and other partners to deliver measurable and sustainable change in three signature program areas: Women, Children and Climate.