It’s official! ECD is a national priority in Burundi

Help a Child Burundi and UNICEF launched the ‘Rêves des enfants’ project in the Kayanza District, Burundi, recently. Goal is to scale children’s access to Early Childhood Development (ECD) and prepare them for a future without malnutrition and in good health.

The combination of high malnutrition rates, limited access to health and educational services, and ongoing issues with child protection shows that there is an urgent need for a community-based ECD center in Kayanza. Fulgence Ndagijimana, Country Director of Help a Child Burundi explains: “It is an important step in promoting children’s well-being in Burundi. We want to offer vulnerable children not only an opportunity to survive but to thrive.”

Focus is on the first 1000 days of a child, giving them access to health, nutrition, protection and education.

The government is committed to increasing its budget for ECD at all levels, raising awareness of the need to improve children’s diets, and increasing formal education structures across the country to lay a solid foundation for sustainable and inclusive development and become a more efficient and prosperous society.

Malnutrition
Child health and development are a big problem in Burundi, especially in the Kayanza District, where malnutrition is very high. Burundi has a young population, with many children under six. Children still suffer from a lack of essential rights to health, nutrition, early learning and protection. Half of all children under five are stunted. Kayanza has the highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the country, at 62.9%. In addition, only 15% of preschool-age children attend preschool, which is mostly private and unaffordable for low-income families.

Consortium of Help a Child, Help Channel and SAD
Help a Child Burundi is the consortium’s lead and is responsible for the health and nutrition component. SAD is responsible for the protection and social behaviour change component, and Help Channel is responsible for the WASH component.

 

The first step towards promoting young children’s access to ECD on a national scale began in Kayanza with the launch of the ‘Rêves des enfants’ project, a joint project of UNICEF and Help a Child Burundi in consortium with Help Channel Burundi (HCB) and Social Action for Development (SAD). The project was launched on November 28, 2024, by the Ministry of Health, the office of the first lady, and the Kayanza province administration, in the presence of key partners.

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