This paper summarises the findings of research carried out by staff of the China National Institute for Educational Research which runs the Foundation-supported Hebei preschool education project. The paper tries to give an insight into how the El-barta Child and Family Programme (affiliated with the Christian Children’s Fund Inc. Kenya project) responds to the situations that the communities face, and how it works with the communities to tackle these situations.

According to the project, research shows that a child’s early years are crucial for physical, social, emotional and mental development. By the age of three about 85 percent of the child’s brain is developed, and they believe that by the age of six the child is almost resistant to change.

Contents:

• Chapter One: Working in the arid lands of Northern Kenya
  Why this paper?
  Underlying issues
  Introduction to the organisation
• Chapter Two: The early childhood development programme
  Starting the early childhood development work
  Breaking down of traditional care
  Community based Lmwate
• Chapter Three: Health interventions
  Medical care
  Maternal-child health
  Nutrition
  Personal hygiene
  Safe home environment
• Chapter Four: Food security interventions
Drought preparedness
Reducing malnutrition through food practices
Income generating activities
• Chapter Five: Beyond ECD
  Education interventions
• Chapter Six: Challenges faced and the way forward
  Way forward
• Chapter Seven: Conclusion
  Bernard van Leer Foundation
  About the Foundation
  Information on the series
  Contributions