Education in Southern Malawi
Drumming and singing – lots of it.
That’s what we were greeted with when we arrived at an Early Childhood Development Centre near Phalombe in Southern Malawi.
In a rural village like this in Southern Malawi, children face many difficulties as they grow up, especially during their first 5 years. This time is critical for children’s physical, cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional development. If they get support at this age then it can have a lasting impact throughout their lives by giving them a good head start.
The Early Childhood Development Centre, is similar to a preschool where children can be stimulated and start to learn, rather than being brought with their parents as they work in the fields or left with elderly relatives. Team Hope, working with our partners, has built 5 of these centres in the last number of years. The local community have been trained in how to run them and provide care to the children, teaching them, playing games with them and contributing to their nutrition. Local schools notice the difference in the children when they start their primary education.
More than anything though the parents notice the difference though, and that is why there is so much singing and drumming as we arrive outside the centre!