Early Childhood Education

Preschool Education at the Early Childhood Development Center

Project Objective

• To provide children from low-income families with access to early childhood education and thereby lay the foundation for a successful educational journey.

Initial Situation

Elementary schools in Kenya are generally free, but parents must cover the costs of school uniforms and supplies. However, children from disadvantaged and precarious backgrounds in particular have difficulty keeping up with the pace of learning in elementary school. To ensure a successful educational journey, it makes sense to prepare children for elementary school through a preschool (Early Childhood Development Center—ECD). However, these preschools for children aged three to five usually charge fees. For many families, this important first step toward a good education therefore remains out of reach. People living in informal settlements, in particular, often live in extreme poverty. Every day, parents struggle to earn enough money through small, casual jobs just to feed their families. This leaves no money for schooling.

What does that mean, specifically?

The Early Childhood Development Centers run by SOLWODI’s partner organizations provide education to children from vulnerable families from a very young age. The children attend preschool—without their parents having to pay for it, as they would at a public preschool. They also receive a hot lunch—which would also cost extra at a public preschool.

Our partner organizations also cover the costs of school supplies that the families could not afford on their own. Early access to education is crucial to ensure that children do not start first grade in primary school already behind in their learning. This lays the foundation for learning, self-confidence, and future opportunities.

The early childhood education project is currently being implemented at three locations in Kenya by our partner organizations:
 

OKOA SASA in Mombasa

SOLWOGIDI in Butere

SOLWOGIDI in Malindi