BY JOHN CHRISMA
First-ever Early Childhood Development (ECD) project with the slogan “UMI TUGEDA FO HAPI HELTI PIKNINI” will be piloted this month, January, in Guadalcanal province.
This was according to the president of the Guadalcanal Council of Women, Alice Hou in an exclusive interview during a three days training of trainers’ workshop for 15 Wards around Guadalcanal province.
The training of trainers’ workshop was facilitated at the Guadalcanal Provincial Council of Women (GPCW) resource centre and conference room late last year from December 21 to 23, 2021.
Mrs. Alice Hou said that the project is supported by UNICEF and funded by AusAID for the province and will be facilitated by the GPCW.
”The main objectives of the project is to strengthen the subnational ECD system of Guadalcanal Province in order for it to deliver quality services that support the holistic development of young children aged 0-5,” Mrs. Hou said.
She said that each 15 trainees will go back to their respective ward where they will train another 10 locals to reach out for 30 more households each.
She further revealed that GP was one province that has the lowest on ECD in the country
“The province has the highest rates stunting of in the county, with 36% of the children stunted and 14% severely stunted, primarily by exposure to contaminated environments,” she said
The project is a first of its kind to be facilitated in Guadalcanal and GP was the first province to pilot the program.
