Neuroscientists know more today than ever before how the brains of young children develop, and what promotes and inhibits optimal growth. When we make young children feel loved and protected, give them nutritious food, and interact through play and early learning, we can positively shape the structure and functioning of their brain – for life.
“The early childhood journey is a unique period that offers a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape children’s health, happiness, ability to learn, resilience and even earning power as adults.”
Pia Rebello Britto, UNICEF Chief of Early Childhood Development
Through the Global Program for Education, the H&M Foundation and UNICEF have been working together since 2014 in nine diverse countries and contexts, to influence national policies and support programmes that help improve access to quality education, health, nutrition, and protection services.
“Through this program, we have been able to give the best possible start to life and learning for many vulnerable young children around the world which would not have been possible otherwise,” says Rebello Britto. Funds have also helped support parents and caregivers through culturally relevant programs to engage more with their children, as well as strengthened government systems to positively impact children for lasting changes.
Within three years, this partnership has promoted positive development of more than 100,000 children.
Some of the results
- In Nepal, 4-year olds are now able to access free quality pre-primary education as their government is committed to early childhood education through the 2016 Education Act Amendment.
- In Mali, development and growth of malnourished children from crisis-affected areas have been improved as their parents’ capacity to provide responsive care and stimulation increase.
- In Rwanda, many children in marginalized communities have benefitted from a holistic range of early childhood development services given the successful scale up of the ECD & Family Centres.
- In Lao PDR, an innovative and interactive educational TV show have given children from remote communities stimulating and enriched experiences.
- In Benin, children are benefitting from increased quality access to early learning opportunities, via community-based and formal pre-schools, and alternative pre-schools in Timor-Leste.
- In Chile, Montenegro and South Africa, national governments have included ECD in their national development agendas. Budgetary decisions have also been influenced with greater efficiencies in the use of existing fiscal resources to enrich children’s lives.
Much more to be done
“Through our ground-breaking partnership with H&M Foundation, it’s clear that investment such as this can make a significant difference in the lives of children,” says Rebello Britto. As momentum gathers, much more can be done to accelerate impact.
Right now, nearly 250 million children under the age of five in developing countries are at risk of poor development. Not only is it a vicious circle of poverty and deprivation, but it also inhibits children, their families and societies from reaching their full potential.
For these children especially, early moments matter the most, and we must continue our work to give them the nutrition, stimulation, protection and love they need to develop. Therefore, the H&M Foundation decided to continue to work with UNICEF in the Global Program for Education for another three years. In this second phase, the program has been adjusted and improved based on the success of the previous three years. Learn more about the program.
