Lesotho: Train The Trainer Workshop For Early Childhood Development Practitioners, National University of Lesotho, in partnership with Ministry of Education and Training (MoET)

In Lesotho, access to comprehensive Integrated Early Childhood Care and Development (IECCD) education programmes is limited, particularly among vulnerable rural households. The highest number of registered ECCD programmes are fee-based, formal ECCD centres, which generally target children aged from 3 – 5/6, followed by reception classes intended as a preparatory year for children 4.5 – 5 years old, before they enter primary school.

General finding of nutritional statuses in these ECCD’s

For both Maputsoe and Maseru provinces, 6.7% of selected children were found to be severely malnourished; 28.7% were moderately malnourished; 24.8% were found to be at a risk of moderate malnutrition; and 38.6% were found to be normal and none of children were overweight.

Based on this background, Rose Dufe Turkson and Mamra Ntsike, both from the National University of Lesotho, in partnership with Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) and the ECCD centres, supported by the NNIA, facilitated a workshop.

The aim was to ensure that caregivers at ECCDs are also equipped with appropriate knowledge on Nutrition and WASH (Water and Sanitation Hygiene).

Objectives

• To ensure that ECCD practitioners are given qualitative nutrition information to care for the infants in their centres.
• To ensure that ECCD practitioners are able to identify good nutrition practices.
• To enable ECCD practitioners to prepare nutritionally adequate meal for infants in their care.
• To enable ECCD practitioners to guide parents as to how to prepare and package healthy lunch boxes for infants.

Post the workshop, 14 third year students were placed at different ECCD centres for 5 weeks in Thetsane village to train, supervise and support the ECCD practitioners to achieve the above mentioned objectives.  On completion, the students will compile an intensive report with recommendation for intervention. See the group picture below.