Integrated early childhood care and development – NNIA involves government

NNIA Board members, accompanied by various stakeholders from the Ministry of Education and Training; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Social Development; Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security; the Food Nutrition and Coordinating Office; and the President of the Lesotho Nutrition and Dietetic Association, visited the day care centres ‘Metsoetseng’, located in the Thetsane industrial area.

The stakeholders’ engagement for the day focused on the children’s health and wellbeing, with the topic “Tackling Malnutrition in the 1^st 1 000 Days of Life.” This topic was especially important, as the day care practitioners are unskilled.

The centres are the brainchild of women who previously worked in these industrial areas and realised there was opportunity to take care of children whose mothers’ also worked there. Retired nurses also saw the need for childcare facilities and got involved.

In action! Government representatives and other stakeholders now recognise that the future of children in Lesotho, from birth to 6 years, depends on developing a unified national commitment to expand and improve early childhood services.