Parents in Musanze District praised Early Childhood Development Centers (ECDs) for playing a key role in helping their children grow, learn good behavior, and prepare for a brighter future.
The comments came May 29 during a training session for journalists on early childhood development organized by the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) in partnership with the European Union and the Rwanda Journalists’ Association, under the Tubakuze project.
Muhawenimana Shakira, a mother whose child attends a nearby ECD, said her life changed after finding a place to leave her child while she studied and worked.
“I found a sewing school near a mosque and asked if I could bring my one-and-a-half-year-old child to the ECD. They agreed,” she said. “My child has been attending for a year and a half. I completed my sewing training and now run my own business. I wouldn’t have had the chance to study without a place to leave my child.”
She praised the center for providing balanced meals, education, and care. Her two-and-a-half-year-old child speaks English and maintains good hygiene, she said.
“We encourage other parents to bring their children to the centers because it supports the child’s growth and allows parents to improve their lives,” Shakira added.
Françoise Nizeyimana, a potato vendor, said the center has helped her daily life as well as her child’s.
“Before, I would take my child to work, where he sat in unsafe places and sometimes disturbed customers. Now, he is cared for, fed, and naps peacefully,” she said. “I can work with peace of mind.”
The ADP project, in partnership with NCDA and Musanze District, built an ECD center that serves children from 9 months to 4 years old, especially those of parents who work at Musanze market.
The project director said the center was created to support parents who lack time to care for their children due to work.
“Children receive nutritious food, education, security and love. This has helped reduce malnutrition and stunting,” the director said.
Assumpta Ingabire, NCDA director general, urged journalists to help change parental attitudes toward early childhood education and commended those who helped establish the centers.
“This does not require a lot of resources, but it requires commitment and cooperation. Every sector must participate to ensure Rwandan children grow well,” Ingabire said.
The training aimed to strengthen journalists’ ability to promote early childhood care and help the government reduce stunting in children under five from 33% in 2024 to 15% by 2029.
Parents, educators and partners were reminded that proper child development requires cooperation between families, government and the private sector, showing ECDs are not just childcare centers but foundations for the nation’s future.
