ChildFund Korea Gives Children in Rwanda a Head Start

Education is key if Rwanda is to achieve its goal of becoming a middle income country by 2020. In several communities, ChildFund Rwanda is ensuring access to quality early childhood education, which has a well-established link to improved school achievement and success later in life.

This photo essay describes the project.

ChildFund Korea’s Early Childhood Education Gives Children in Rwanda a Head Start

Students of G.S Jabana school, rehabilitation project (Phase 1) in August 2016

ChildFund Rwanda, a program of ChildFund Korea, ensures access to quality early childhood education (ECE), which has a well-established link to improved school achievement and success later in life.

Early childhood education lowers primary school dropout rates by enhancing children’s preparedness to cope with the formal school environment.

Focus group interview with children ages 4 to 6 to get their opinions about their community, their parents and their needs

ChildFund Rwanda takes a broad approach to school readiness for primary school, defined by four dimensions: ready parents; ready preschools; ready communities; and ready children. The first three dimensions are preconditions to achieving children ready for school.

ECE center under construction in Jabana sector

Increased Access to Early Childhood Education

To ensure better access to quality early childhood educa­tion, ChildFund Rwanda is building ECE centers in the Jabana, Jali and Bumbogo sectors in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Each center will have, at minimum, 3 classrooms, an administration block, a demonstration kitchen, a multi-purpose hall, latrines with hand-washing stations and a playground with recreational equipment. ChildFund is also providing school supplies and supervision/training.

Teachers participate in a training about lesson planning and delivery, monitoring and evaluation tools in G.S Jabana school in October 2016

ChildFund Rwanda provides school materials and equipment

10 community volunteers participate in a training for parenting education

Empowered and Responsive Parents

To strengthen positive parenting practices and knowledge, ChildFund Rwanda is mobilizing and organizing parent groups and providing workshops on issues such as nutri­tion, basic sanitation and child protection.

In December 2016, ChildFund Rwanda selected trainers from the Jabana sector com­munity and provided trainings to enable them to deliver parenting workshops to households in Kidashya.

Parents learning “playing with materials (stones, beans)” during a training about child development and the importance of playing with children

ChildFund Rwanda has created five parent groups, with 180 members. The parents are being trained by community volunteers to enhance the understanding of child development in five villages in the Kidashya cell in Jabana sector. They meet twice a week over the course of seven weeks.

A trainer wearing an "uburere buruta ubuvuke" T-shirt (meaning “good parenting is more important than giving birth’’)

Parents receive training about a balanced diet for children

ECE committee members receive training about early childhood development

Supportive and caring community

To facilitate community-driven outreach on the importance of early childhood education, ChildFund Rwanda formed an ECE committee in Kidashya. Seven ECE committee members reached more than 480 people in eight villages.

 Campaigns on ECE in the community

In 2017, ChildFund plans to scale up its advocacy program and bring together differ­ent organizations and local communities to increase their impact.

 Community members put on a play about child rights and education during the Day of African Child: Campaign on Child Rights and Education in Jabana Sector

ChildFund Rwanda celebrated International Day of Af­rican Child on June 16, 2016 to promote togetherness and­ raise awareness on children’s right to education.

 Pictures about child rights and education, Day of African Child: Campaign on Child Rights and Education in Jabana Sector

 Booklet about Day of African Child: Campaign on Child Rights and Education in Jabana Sector

More on ChildFund Korea: https://childfundalliance.org/our-members/childfund-korea