Early Childhood Development
A critical window for growth
The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are crucial. The quality of care during this time impacts their physical, emotional and cognitive development.
When we support local caregivers and community leaders in creating early childhood development programs, we support growth that lasts a lifetime.
“Children…need to be in a safe environment, so that in the future we can have a safer community, a safer country, and children that thrive.” –Father Kasanka, program leader in central Zambia
What we do
Our Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs prioritize the critical age group, 0-3 years old. Our efforts include our flagship ECD program partnership, Moments That Matter® (MTM).
These programs are rooted in evidence-based practices. They are carried out by change agents who are from and live within each community.
Our ECD programs focus on five key areas that serve as building blocks for a child’s healthy development.
1. Training parents and caregivers
Our locally led programs train parents and primary caregivers to deliver the highest-quality care so children can reach important physical, mental and emotional milestones.
2. Disease prevention
Volunteers within each community are trained to support caregivers, conduct home health visits and connect caregivers to local health services to prevent disease.
3. Opportunities for economic stability
Through community-led savings and loan groups, caregivers can better provide for themselves and their children, creating financial stability.
4. Improving food security and nutrition
Our programs help educate caregivers about nutrition, including starting a kitchen garden, healthy cooking classes and information about age-appropriate diets.
5. Promoting positive interactions
Local faith leaders are pivotal in promoting positive behaviors and reducing harmful ones, like neglect and exposure to violence.
Why our early childhood development programs work
We take a holistic, community-led approach. By mobilizing local leaders and volunteers, our programs foster a supportive environment where caregivers receive:
- Responsive parenting and early learning training
- Health and nutrition education
- Economic opportunities
This integrated strategy not only enhances child development but also strengthens community resilience.
Why does it work?
- By partnering with trusted local change agents, we ensure our programs align with each community’s unique strengths and challenges.
- Our programs are continually evaluated to ensure measurable results and continuous improvement.
- Local collaboration is key in fostering community ownership and ensuring long-term success.
Our impact
Since 2012, more than 90,000 children between the ages of 0-3 and their caregivers have benefited from our early childhood development programming.
In addition, communities participating in our programs report a 40% increase in children meeting developmental milestones. Caregivers trained in responsive parenting are reporting stronger family bonds and healthier children.
Meet Millicent
In Kenya, Millicent, a 29-year-old mother of one with one on the way, had limited resources to support her children. When she joined Moments That Matter®, she learned:
- How to create a nurturing environment for her children
- How to keep them healthy
- Responsive caregiving strategies
- Early learning tools to help her children thrive
Thanks to the program, her husband also learned how to support the family better as they raised their children. This created a ripple of positive change in the community.
You can read the full story here.
Learn more
To explore more stories of impact and understand how our early childhood development programs are transforming lives, click the link below. If you want to make a lasting impact, donate now to help provide children with more opportunities to thrive.
