Support Early Learning For 3000 Children In Kenya

Habanahabahujazakibaba(Swahili saying: little by little fills the pint)

To GlobalGiving (By WEMIHS, May 2018)

WEMIHS identified young children to be among the largest population struggling daily for survival with limited access to essential services, opportunities or facilities most crucial to support early childhood development. WEMIHS engaged the beneficiary community to establish community managed ECD centers that became the only accessible structures providing safe environment and a package of services most critical for early childhood development.

The KiluluKavuvwani ECD is the latest constructed by WEMIHS and community.

Thanks to the GlobalGiving forproviding a platform that made it possible for givers to participate with WEMIHS and in supporting the marginalized community of Twimyua Location, Kilulu Village, in Mwingi County extend their ECD facility.

Donation  through the GlobalGiving Platform has also been used to provided ECD facility with a iron-sheets to roof for the new ECD class while the community contributed locally available resources to include; sand, ballast, burnt sand and bricks. While 16 young children are now blessed to have a safe space to learn and play,  Kilulu ECD has an enrollment of 111 children.

WEMIHS appreciate every contribution that has helped to make a difference. Our focus for 2018 is to improve ECD feeding program, train teachers and care givers on basic counselig and on how to make local learning materials.

Beneficiary stories.

‘’All through the year we learn under a tree during the rainy and cold seasons we are forced to miss school ,stay at home and help with family chores I really miss my friends and teacher during this times’’. Mueni(not real name) a five year old ECD learner at Twikoli ECD center. Mueni is one of our project beneficiaries who will now have an opportunity to learn from inside a class room for the first time in her life.

‘’As community leader and a parent at Twikoli ECD center, am extremely happy to see that we now have a permanent ECD class, I remember when we started the center in the middle of the bush, other communities around us  thought we were crazy and that the idea would never work but look at us now. I know the center still requires more support in feeding our children among other things but I today stand here  tall, proud and as a witness of how with a little support poor communities like ourselves can improve their lives.’ ‘Perez a community leader and parent at Twikoli ECD.

‘’I did not know our children had the right to attend well-constructed and equipped ECD centers, we shall go to our area MCA (Member of County  Assembly) and ask her to tell the County government that we need more teachers in our schools. we shall also ask for water, better roads and hospital. We shall no longer fear to ask’’.Peter a parent at Twikoli ECD center.

‘’All through the year we learn under a tree during the rainy and cold seasons we are forced to miss school and stay at home and help with family chores I really miss my friends and teacher during this times.’’Mueni(not real name) a five year old ECD learner at Twikoli ECD center. Mueni is one of our project beneficiaries who will now have an opportunity to learn from inside a class room for the first time in her life.

‘’The ECD center has a population of 40 learners. The new class is not only a blessing to my young learners but also to me, it often breaks my heart as a teacher and a mother to see young children suffer, in this arid area it can get really hot during the dry seasons and extremely cold in the cooler  months. I have at some point been forced to stop classes and huddle together with my learners for warmth. I cannot wait for the new term in January’’. Jane the only ECD teacher at Twikoli ECD center.

Although the newly constructed ECD center does not yet meet all the measures and standards(nutritious diets, play materials and proper sanitation) to ensure access to quality early childhood education, it’s a major milestone to assuring young children of  physical safety and comfort which ultimately improves school readiness for young learners.

‘’As community leader and a parent at Twikoli ECD center, am extremely happy to see that we now have a permanent ECD class, I remember when we started the center in the middle of the bush, other communities around us  thought we were crazy and that the idea would never work but look at us now. I know the center still requires more support in feeding our children among other things but I today stand here  tall, proud and as a witness of how with a little support poor communities like ourselves can improve their lives.’ ‘Perez a community leader and parent at Twikoli ECD.

The project engaged the local community as partners; the community provided in kind resources i.e. much needed labor and project supervision. The project also allowed for a community dialogue where issues on how to engage local leadership and county government to improve access to quality ECD services among other priorities.

‘’I did not know our children had the right to attend well-constructed and equipped ECD centers, we shall go to our area MCA (Member of County Assembly) and ask her to tell the County government that we need more teachers in our schools…….we shall also ask for water, better roads and hospitals…..we shall no longer fear to ask’’.Peter a parent at Twikoli ECD center.