Ndhiwa parents, caregivers sensitized on children's growth and development

A non-governmental organization has launched a nurturing care program for children below three years old in the Ndhiwa constituency to better their growth and development.

Child Fund Kenya organization has started sensitizing caregivers in the constituency on the best practices for raising children.

It encompasses the sensitization of parents and caregivers on the best practices in raising children.

The practices include providing children with five components that are required for their growth development.

Such components are health care, nutrition, safety and security, responsive caregiving, and opportunity for early learning.

Child Fund Kenya officials known as facilitators are sensitizing parents and caregivers to implement the program.

The facilitators teach caregivers how to accord children the five components of nurturing care.

The project coordinator Mary Ochieng said research had shown that a child given the five components of nurturing care has a higher chance of becoming a successful person during their adulthood than the one who never received them.

“The project is in tandem with the World Health Organization (WHO) that necessitates better nurturing and care for growth and development of children. The five components of nurturing care demystify the obstacles that may impede the development of a child,” Ochieng said.

Among the five components, priority is given to responsive caregiving. Responsive caregiving teaches parents and caregivers to respond to the needs of their children.

Speaking on Sunday during a meeting with 54 facilitators who are going to implement the project at Barracuda in Kochia ward, Rangwe constituency, Ochieng said responsive caregiving is a serious obstacle hindering the development of many children in the area.

“Responsive giving is the most important among these components because parents should be endowed with the knowledge of providing their children with what they need. But, unfortunately, it has also been ignored by many parents,” she added.

It is done in which a group of 10 caregivers is trained for ten months before another group is enrolled in the program.

One group of caregivers is sensitized by a facilitator in their village. The facilitators are supervised by mentors.

Felicitators Abraham Musa and Carolyn Mboya said the program will teach caregivers about commonly neglected roles that impede the development of their children.

“It is true that parents who deny their children the opportunity to play interfere with their growth and development. We’re hoping that the project is going to help people should there be cooperation,” Musa said.