Ethiopia
Current projects
Project:
Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) in Ethiopia: Begin with the Beginning
The overall objective is to strengthen and create ECCE in 4 community controlled and directed initiatives (which we like to call ‘ECCE committees’), in areas with high poverty and low enrollment of children in pre-school and primary school facilities, develop and gather support materials, train (para-)professionals, generate local support and awareness, liaise with local authorities, and establish and reinforce a network of ECCE minded people –policy makers, NGO staff, researchers and practitioners. We will utilize a kind of ECCE ‘chain’, whereby non-formal initiatives will lead to increased enrollment into more formal ECCE provisions for children 4-6 years of age, and after that increased enrollment of these children into primary schools.
Over a period of two years we aim to create 4 low-cost, sustainable initiatives in areas of high poverty and with low access of children to pre-primary and primary education. The central idea is to strengthen or create ECCE initiatives (which we like to call ‘ECCE committees’), develop and gather support materials, train (para-)professionals (teachers, but also ‘community mothers’), generate local support and awareness, liaise with local authorities, and establish and reinforce a network of ECCE minded people –policy makers, NGO staff, researchers and practitioners. The following locations are tentatively envisaged:
· Addis Ababa: Arada and Gulele sub cities
· North Showa Zone of the Amhara National Regional States: Seya Debre Na Wayu District
All committees will be set up in places with large numbers of marginalized families and where services are only minimally or not existent, but where there is sufficient enthusiasm and potential skills. In any event, the ECCE committees will be building on local assets and facilities, and on the participation of local people.
Project outcomes:
Over a period of two years the following concrete outcomes are anticipated:
1. A dramatic increase in the number of young boys and girls enjoying ECCE activities (formal and informal);
2. A new range of low-cost and cost-effective ECCE activities reaching most of the pertinent young boys and girls in the target areas. These activities could comprise of a mix of nonformal and formal initiatives such as playgroups, home visiting, preschool centers, play grounds, parent groups, and health monitoring;
3. A dramatic increase in the number of children entering and actually making progress in the primary schools;
4. Training modules to enable and empower local community paraprofessionals in running the hubs and in contributing to an emerging ECCE epistemic community; and to sensitize primary school staff;
5. Increased awareness and support for ECCE amongst government officials and Parent Teacher Associations and enthusiasm and concrete actions to replicate the model;
Project Manager Iordan Iossifov
Van 1 November 2011
Tot 1 December 2013
Partner
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
Donor
Eureko Achmea Foundation
Past projects
Project:
Evaluation of Early Childhood project
In the period 11 to 14 November ICDI's director Mathijs Euwema visited Ethiopia to evaluate an Early Childhood project by the NGO Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). For the past two years ESD has set up 4 pre-schools in the rural area around Debrebirhan, some 150 kilometres north of the capital Addis Abeba.
During his visit Mathijs spoke to all stakeholders, like children, parents, and representatives of local and national authorities. There is currently a big drive in Ethiopia to stimulate Early Childhood Care and Education. The government aims to increase acces of young children to ECCE provisions from a mere 4% now to 20% in the coming five years.
ICDI staff can sometimes be made available for short term assignments like evaluations, assessments, trainings or other activities. If you are interested in these services of ICDI please contact mathijs@icdi.nl.
Project Manager Mathijs Euwema
Van November
Tot 2010
Partner
Education for Sustainable Development
Donor
UBS Optimus Foundation, Switzerland
Contact
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