There was a lot of mist, quite common in the land of a thousand hills, and we all were a bit quiet like a blanket of mist had also descended over our group.And on top of that we had a heavy rain storm.
Yesterday, Monday, (I'am writing this on Tuesday) the weather was overall good with quite some sunny spells.Today it is a glorious day with the sun shining bright.Okay enough with the weather forecast!
In the morning we went to the UNICEF building not far from hotel Lemigo.
The UNICEF Representative for Rwanda Noala Skinner together with Siddartha Shrestha
( Communications Officer ) met with us and gave a very passioned introduction to their work.
She told us more about UMUGANDA the last Saturday of each month dedicated to community service, where all able people in Rwanda work together for the good of the country.
Last Saturday it was all about the first 1000 days of a child in the land of a thousand hills.
From the start of the pregnancy till about 2 yrs children (and mothers) are followed and their health, development and any other important issues are followed up regulary by a community health worker.
It is all about creating awareness and emphasizing the importance of small things like hygiene (washing hands) and nutrition (diversity in diet).
After Noala's spirited intro Sid (Siddartha Shrestha) took us to the main meeting room where a whole committee of people was waiting for us!
The Delegation was led by Degeune Fall, the Deputy Representative and there were people from:
Water & Sanitation - Education - Medicin - Research and Child Protection.
We had a general presentation about Rwanda, about UNICEF in Rwanda and later more in depth about the itinerary we would follow and which programs we would visit as IWitnesses.
We were very impressed and a bit in awe with the all these very experienced and talented professional people giving us their time and interest!
Oh, later on I will test your skills and patience with some UNICEF speak!
In the afternoon we went to our first project "in the field", it was far from being in a field but a great location it was, recently opened (july 2013) by the First Lady (not the one from the Ambassadors group) but Jeannette Kagame and her Imbuto Foundation.
Dorothy from Education at UNICEF was with us and introduced us to The Early Childhood Development & Family Centre in Kayonza District.
By the way we also found out that we would be accompanied by William ( a Canadian video man) and Robert ( a Rwandan photographer ) to document our trip for UNICEF.
At the centre the people meet with about 100 parents and their children to talk about:
Safety, Sanitation, Stimulation, Hygiëne and Food and general parental care and have weekly home visits to check how the theory is brought into practice.
The centre is run by 7 professionals and helps children to have the best possible start in life.
The set up is done through UNICEF with the help from Imbuto who ( after a year ) withdraw and let the local professionals run the centre. ( IKEA Foundation sponsors this through UNICEF as does the First Lady through the Imbuto Foundation).
The whole idea of the ECD&Fwas a suggestion from UNICEF and this advice was taken over by the government of Rwanda, what started in 15 districts will be rolled out in all 30 districts now.
It was great to see the happy children and mothers playing at the great facility and also part of the training the community health officer did with all the (grand) parents.It really gives the children from 0-5 years a great start in life.
We also had a special assignment which Karlijn and myself did with thanks to Glady Mutavu from Imbuto, we can not tell yet what it is, but everybody will see soon enough.
Let me close this piece by saying I have seen the future of Rwanda and liked it !
---
UNICEF speak, here some abbreviations for people who really now them!
What do they mean ?
UNICEF , before when started and now
= United Nations International Children Emergency Fund, nowadays without the emergency bit...
IDP = internally displace person, refugee in own country
ECD and ECD&F = Early Children Development & Family centre
MINDUC = Ministry of Education
MOH
NGO
IEE is a NGO
CFS
DI
NCC
CRC
MDG
CEDAW
WASH
UN
DSS
SBM
SFA a NGO
And we thought that IKEA was bad !
From the start of the pregnancy till about 2 yrs children (and mothers) are followed and their health, development and any other important issues are followed up regulary by a community health worker.
It is all about creating awareness and emphasizing the importance of small things like hygiene (washing hands) and nutrition (diversity in diet).
After Noala's spirited intro Sid (Siddartha Shrestha) took us to the main meeting room where a whole committee of people was waiting for us!
The Delegation was led by Degeune Fall, the Deputy Representative and there were people from:
Water & Sanitation - Education - Medicin - Research and Child Protection.
We had a general presentation about Rwanda, about UNICEF in Rwanda and later more in depth about the itinerary we would follow and which programs we would visit as IWitnesses.
We were very impressed and a bit in awe with the all these very experienced and talented professional people giving us their time and interest!
Oh, later on I will test your skills and patience with some UNICEF speak!
In the afternoon we went to our first project "in the field", it was far from being in a field but a great location it was, recently opened (july 2013) by the First Lady (not the one from the Ambassadors group) but Jeannette Kagame and her Imbuto Foundation.
Dorothy from Education at UNICEF was with us and introduced us to The Early Childhood Development & Family Centre in Kayonza District.
By the way we also found out that we would be accompanied by William ( a Canadian video man) and Robert ( a Rwandan photographer ) to document our trip for UNICEF.
At the centre the people meet with about 100 parents and their children to talk about:
Safety, Sanitation, Stimulation, Hygiëne and Food and general parental care and have weekly home visits to check how the theory is brought into practice.
The centre is run by 7 professionals and helps children to have the best possible start in life.
The set up is done through UNICEF with the help from Imbuto who ( after a year ) withdraw and let the local professionals run the centre. ( IKEA Foundation sponsors this through UNICEF as does the First Lady through the Imbuto Foundation).
The whole idea of the ECD&Fwas a suggestion from UNICEF and this advice was taken over by the government of Rwanda, what started in 15 districts will be rolled out in all 30 districts now.
It was great to see the happy children and mothers playing at the great facility and also part of the training the community health officer did with all the (grand) parents.It really gives the children from 0-5 years a great start in life.
We also had a special assignment which Karlijn and myself did with thanks to Glady Mutavu from Imbuto, we can not tell yet what it is, but everybody will see soon enough.
Let me close this piece by saying I have seen the future of Rwanda and liked it !
---
UNICEF speak, here some abbreviations for people who really now them!
What do they mean ?
UNICEF , before when started and now
= United Nations International Children Emergency Fund, nowadays without the emergency bit...
IDP = internally displace person, refugee in own country
ECD and ECD&F = Early Children Development & Family centre
MINDUC = Ministry of Education
MOH
NGO
IEE is a NGO
CFS
DI
NCC
CRC
MDG
CEDAW
WASH
UN
DSS
SBM
SFA a NGO
And we thought that IKEA was bad !
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