The Chamba and Nakpayili Communities in the Nanumba North and Nanumba South districts have benefited from a pilot Community Day Care Centre projects initiated by ActionAid to offer special care for kids free of charge.
The Centres, which would accord mothers the opportunity to engage in their economic activities is not a replica of the Early Childhood Development education system but an informal educational system where children below the age of four would be received each day for proper upkeep to ease the pressure on mothers.
Madam Adam Lamnatu, Programme Coordinator of Songtaba, a partner of non-governmental organisation of ActionAid Ghana, addressing residents of the Chamba Community in the Nanumba North district at the weekend during the open of the centre advised parents to take advantage of the programme.
The Day Care Centres were established by ActionAid Ghana in collaboration with Songtaba, both NGOs and supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Madam Lamnatu said the centres formed part of the Women Rights to Sustainable Livelihoods project aimed at reducing mothers stress on daily basis, which would enable them channel their energies to productive activities.
She said due to child care and upbringing, mothers spent a lot of their productive hours in domestic activities often referred to as “Unpaid care work”, which were not rewarding and appealed to husbands to assist their wives at home.
She indicated that the project had formed and trained 58 women groups in the two districts in advocacy and economic opportunities to improve on their livelihoods.
Madam Lamnatu said the women groups had also been supported to plant woodlots, which they would later harvest for fire wood and that they had also been taught on techniques of rain water harvesting so as to reduce time spent in search of potable water.
Madam Musah Awiratu, Early Childhood Coordinator for Nanumba North District said early childhood education was very important for the holistic development of the child noting that early education builds the mental and psycho-motor skills of the child.
She, however, expressed regret that despite the numerous kindergarten schools in the district, many teachers lack the requisite skills in teaching pre-schools and suggested the need for further training in early childhood development education.
Mr Biwati David Yajado, Assemblyman for the Chamba Electoral Area commended ActionAid and Songtaba for establishing the centre and urged parents to patronize the facility since meals and a professional caretaker would be available to give adequate care to their wards.
