BY: Kassim Kajosolo
The Joyce Banda Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the quality of Early Childhood Development (ECD) education in rural communities, with a strong focus on securing a better future for children.
Speaking in an interview, Community Development Officer for the foundation, Brown Masingati, said the organization is integrating climate change initiatives into its ECD programs, emphasizing that education and environmental awareness must go hand in hand.
He noted that climate change affects every aspect of life, including children’s development, and therefore cannot be ignored in shaping effective ECD programs.
“ECD cannot move in the right direction if it is not aligned with climate change realities, because climate change impacts everyone,” he said.
As part of its interventions, the foundation has gone beyond school feeding programs by distributing fruit tree seedlings to parents of children enrolled in ECD centres. Families are encouraged to plant the trees at home to improve nutrition while also promoting environmental conservation.
“Apart from school feeding, we have also started giving fruit trees to parents of children in our ECD centres. This will improve nutrition for both the children and their families, while also increasing vegetation,” he explained.
Currently, the foundation is supporting over 10,000 children across 21 ECD centres in various districts nationwide. Children enrolled in these centres receive Likuni Phala daily, contributing to their health and overall growth.
The foundation also conducts regular growth monitoring three times each term, at the beginning, mid-term, and end, to track children’s progress in both health and learning. It works closely with the Ministry of Health to address cases of malnutrition.
Meanwhile, the foundation’s representative, Masingati, emphasized that children who attend ECD centres are generally better prepared for primary school compared to those who do not.
Supporting this observation, Head Teacher Yahya Samson of Malemia Primary School in Zomba said there is a clear difference between the two groups of learners.
“I can say there is a big difference between children who attended ECD centres and those coming straight from home. Those without ECD experience often struggle to interact and grasp lessons, while ECD learners are sharper and adapt more easily,” said Samson.
Looking ahead, the Joyce Banda Foundation plans to introduce climate-smart agriculture initiatives aimed at helping families become more self-reliant while strengthening community resilience.