A Vital Investment: The Importance of 0 to 8 years Olds
For over 17 years, ARK has paid special attention to early child development. Our guiding light is the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UNICEF/UNAIDS Framework for the Protection, Care and Support of Orphans and Vulnerable Children Living in a World with HIV and AIDS and the children that we serve. We have invested in and created programs that focus on providing appropriate care that affords every child an opportunity to develop during the tender years of 0 to 8. We believe that investment in proper early childhood programming is still lacking.
Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs should be tied to a country’s development. Studies and real field experience working in this area proves that a child's aptitude to grow and live up to his or her full potential is directly connected to the availability of sufficient nutrition, mental stimulation, interaction with others, the well being of the mother or primary caretaker and living environment. Early interventions result in tangible and measurable returns as a preventive measure compared with costly remedial services later in life that poor countries cannot afford to provide. The first few years of life are critical to children’s survival and growth, especially children born to HIV positive mothers. To work, ECD programs must be interrelated to address other core areas including food security. This is critical to ensure the health of young children and their families.
ARK’s ECD programs are rooted in sustainable local ownership. Our programs are based on a proven comprehensive approach that ensures the survival of the mother and her child. Our experience working in resource strained communities shows that ECD-focused programming is a critical step toward promoting and achieving both preschool and primary school attendance. These programs can not effectively protect the child without protecting the mother. Therefore, our programs recognize that a young child’s survival is directly connected to that of the mother/caretaker, since this is the most rapid and delicate period in human development. Neglecting this age group may result in lifelong challenges; Challenges that may include physical and mental incapacity.
ARK provides technical support to groups and communities that are interested in putting together a community based ECD program. Emphasis is placed on equipping interested parties with the skills that enables them to define and build their capacity while responding to community needs, resources and environment. To be effective, ultimately sustainable, and to achieve a lasting impact, ARK’s ECD programs require full involvement of all stakeholders in the communities where we work.
Our ECD interventions are designed to achieve the maximum impact for young children to develop their mental and psychosocial abilities at the right developmental stages. While it may be true, that young children progress differently and at their own individual pace, all of them develop through a similar identifiable sequence. The development sequence must include the physical, cognitive, social, emotional abilities and growth. One of the key objectives of building the capacity of community based groups is for them to improve the delivery of services to young children and to train mothers or community educators in ECD techniques.
