In rural Chibombo District, limited access to quality early childhood development (ECD) services and parenting support has affected the well-being of young children and their caregivers. Many families struggle to provide the nurturing care, nutrition, and early learning opportunities that children need to thrive in their most critical years. Without the right support, children risk falling behind long before they even start school

To address this, ChildFund, with funding from Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, implemented a 2-year Sustainability project in nurturing care. This project, with a total investment of $4,196,868, was delivered in partnership with the Chibombo Child Development Agent (CCDA) and a multisectoral team comprising key government departments engaged in ECD and early childhood education (ECE) activities in the district.

Focusing on responsive caregiving and parenting education, the project targeted pregnant women (including adolescents) and children under the age of five. It reached over 2,000 caregivers and more than 5,000 children. The initiative also strengthened collaboration between local government and communities, while enhancing the capacity of community health volunteers, ECD teachers, and child protection actors to promote nurturing care and ensure the well-being and safety of young children.

The project aimed to advance Early Childhood Development (ECD) through the following key objectives:

• Strengthen the integration and coordination of nurturing care services within government systems to enhance sustainability and impact.
• Assess and build the capacity of existing and potential implementing partners to effectively deliver quality ECD interventions.
• Collaborate with the Hilton Foundation and its external evaluator to finalize a comprehensive evaluation plan, defining objectives, key evaluation questions, child development indicator profiles, data collection tools, and analysis frameworks, to support the measurement of child development outcomes.

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation invests in organizations tackling some of the world’s toughest challenges. They are big on solutions, working in partnership with local communities to improve lives, strengthen systems, and advocate for change. Their approach is rooted in their values and inspired by the resilience of the communities with whom they work worldwide, with a special focus on Africa, South America and the United States, including their home in Los Angeles.

Learn more at https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/ https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/

Provincial and District Multi Sectoral team

Role: The role of the provincial and district teams included strengthening community groups; providing essential services such as health and education; coordinating project activities; facilitating referrals and linkages; integrating project activities into district plans; coordinating with partners; offering technical support and consultations to project teams; and developing a 5-year district plan and budget to serve as a blueprint for promoting nurturing care in Chibombo District.

• Chibombo

The project delivered impactful results for young children and their caregivers:

• 5,300 children accessed integrated services in nutrition, health, and early childhood education, supporting their optimal growth and development.
• 74 multi-sectoral team members were trained on key Early Childhood Development (ECD) concepts and equipped to lead group counselling sessions for parents and caregivers.
• 50 health workers gained essential skills in managing common childhood illnesses and promoting maternal and child health best practices.
• 20 media professionals were trained to effectively report on ECD issues and amplify advocacy efforts for increased investment in early childhood services.
• 697 community volunteers were equipped with skills in community mobilization and are now actively providing nurturing care services at the community level.
• 7,000 household mapping tools were printed and distributed to guide outreach efforts by the multisectoral team.