By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, February 1, Mana: World Vision Malawi (WVM), in collaboration with Early Childhood Development (ECD) Department of CCAP Synod of Livingstonia, is expected to launch a one-year Ready for School Project in Nkhata Bay District.

Speaking Tuesday during a presentation on the project to members of the district’s executive committee (DEC), Nkhata Bay District Manager for World Vision, Limbani Gondwe, said the project aims at building capacity of care givers who would return facilitating transitioning of over 3,000 children from ECD Centre’s to primary schools.

Gondwe said the project was hatched to respond to a number of challenges, such as shortage of trained care givers and lack of resources, among others, which are affecting ECD initiatives in the district.

“We have noted that only 20 percent of care givers in this district had undergone formal training; as such, the project aims at building capacity of 276 care givers and advocating for quality ECD services to ensure smooth transition of about 3,045 children from 10 Community Based Childcare Centers,” said Gondwe.

In his remarks, District Social Welfare Officer for Nkhata Bay, Macsencie Chagomerana, described the project as a right step towards uplifting ECD in the district.

“This project will go a long way in building a strong education foundation for children who are psychologically prepared and have hunger for primary school education,” Chagomerana said.

He therefore commended the two organizations for the project and urged other players to emulate the gesture for the benefit of more children in the district.

The project will be implemented at Sanga in the area of Senior Chief Mankhambira in Nkhata Bay and will also run in Chitipa with funding from WVI-Korea.