As one way of reducing challenges locking the Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes, caregivers in Phalombe district are being imparted with knowledge on how they can teach and handle children in their respective centres.
The training which started on Monday this week will take up to 13 days with support from New Life Anointed Ministries and 20 Caregivers are taking part.
In an interview, the executive director for the faith based organisation, Bishop Christopher Kapito, said they thought of equipping knowledge to the caregivers after noting that the caregivers lack some of the skills which they use in the course of their duty.
“It is good to have well trained caregivers in these centres so that they should be aware of the needs of the child and how they can help them hence we have come up with this training.
“As an organisation we are investing a lot in the early childhood development education since they are important as they prepare well our children to adulthood in many ways such as mentally, spiritually and physically,” he said.
Kapito revealed that his organisation has embarked on the project where they are constructing two Community Based Childcare Centre (CBCCs) in the district as one way of curbing challenges which are rocking ECD in the district.
The construction of the two centres which is being funded by Team Hope Ireland will cost over Mk23 million and it is expected to be completed by the end of a month of September this year.
District Social Welfare officer for Phalombe district, Sydreck Saukira, has commended New Life Anointed Ministries for the help they have been rendering into the ECD programmes as last year the organisation also trained some caregivers.
“If you see the concept of ECD, when you say this is a quality centre you need to have a good permanent shelter, availability of children and well trained caregivers so with the coming in of this organisation supporting the ECD programmes as government we are really appreciating for that particularly Phalombe district council.
“They have helped us now in reducing number of untrained caregivers thereby increasing the number of trained caregivers, we are very thankful for this,” he said.
Apart from training these caregivers and constructing these CBCCs, New Life Anointed Ministries will also be feeding the children in the selected centres with some nutritious supplements for the next six months.
