What We Do

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What We Do

Our Key Program Areas

Building Demand & Awareness

Building Demand & Awareness.

Under this programme area, EYC’s expected outcome is to increase demand and utilisation of ECD services and practices, participation of families and communities, quality of ECD services, political commitment, investment and availability of ECD services through improved awareness, attitudes, capacities, motivation, mobilization and action at individual, family, community and policy levels.

EYC will position itself as a strategic partner on building demand with core messages to the sector.
As part of its advocacy and communication agenda EYC is committed to providing the resources and mechanisms for taking forward these key messages to ensure their impact on sector transformation.
EYC will use Communication for Development (C4D) as a proven, systematic, planned and evidence-based approach to positive and measurable behaviour change, will be used to provide information, create dialogue and empower parents and communities to take individual and collective actions that promote Early childhood development.

The C4D approaches (advocacy, social mobilisation, social change communication and BCC) will be applied to engage audiences and actors within each corresponding sphere as described below:

 

 

Over the next one year, EYC will use the following mechanisms to increase its broader impact and profile and ensure that its core learning generates knowledge and information that can have a much-needed impact on the sector;

  1. Launch the EYC website as a cutting edge, up-to-date reflection of its work and as a tool for other ECD stakeholders; EYC will create a website that will provide up-to-date information on various aspects of the ECD sector, a website that will be the first point of call for anyone who wants to access the most relevant, up-to-date information on ECD in Uganda. It will, therefore, be an interactive site that will include, amongst others: discussions; ECD policy tracking, focusing on points of engagement; and links to an active Facebook page and partner websites and a national ECD events calendar. The new website will enable EYC to monitor traffic on the site as well as the use of the available resources.

  2. Publish core programme learnings for broader use in the sector in the form of learning briefs and other appropriate media; The purpose of a learning brief is to provide research-grounded commentary and group-discussion on a particular issue of interest. A learning brief is therefore meant to be a learning tool that stimulates debate and highlights areas for further enquiry. It should raise critical questions about how implementation can be strengthened as well as highlight areas for further research and enquiry. It should also be informed by questions that EYC is interested in exploring further within each of the programme areas. The learning briefs will not merely be uploaded on the website, but will be used as discussion documents to encourage engagement among policy makers, partners, researchers and the broader ECD sector

  3. Carry out research which will inform core advocacy and communication agendas relevant to different stakeholder groups; Publish core research reports as a means to inform and generate new knowledge in the sector;

  4. Host forums and think tanks on critical ECD issues that emerge via the work of EYC which have the potential to have a broader impact on the sector if taken up by other ECD organisations or stakeholders;

  5. Strengthening its relationship with the Government particularly the MOES, MGLSD, MOH, MOLG,MFPED at national levels and Local Government levels.

  6. Develop a well laid out and creative public campaign to effect a change in behaviour in the parents and caregivers of young children; focusing on the Early Years as a window of opportunity

  7. Promote access to early childhood development and needs at community level in such a way that parents and caregivers understand their needs and are able to advocate more specifically for access and services.

Innovation, Research And Evidence

Innovation, Research And Evidence.

EYC will generate evidence for scalable, affordable models for comprehensive ECD provision through the implementation of a formative research agenda.

Running parallel to grassroots innovation is a formative research agenda. Formative research is the basis for developing effective strategies, including communication channels to influence behaviour change. It is a tool through which EYC with its partners, is able to identify and understand the characteristics – the interests, behaviour and needs – of its target populations which influence their decisions and actions. The formative- research component of the programme is integral to its growth and development, as well as to creating opportunities for improvement in partner programmes and increasing capacity and improving implementation strategies across the sector generally.

Early Learning and School Readiness

Early Learning and School Readiness.

Despite the proven benefits of early learning, more than of Uganda’s children –are not enrolled in pre-primary education. 1 out of 5 children are missing out on early childhood education (ECE) opportunities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the learning crisis and brought drastic changes for children and their families as they grapple with the new realities of physical distancing and home confinement. It threatens to halt and even reverse the slow gains that have been made in early learning over the past few years. The lack of early- learning opportunities during COVID-19 has affected the most vulnerable families and most marginalized children the hardest, even though they stand to benefit the most.

For the next 1 year, EYC will focus on supporting early learning continuity at home. The key activities will include:

  • Age-appropriate messages based on the parent boost guide will be pre-recorded and run on community tower auditories for parents and caregivers to be sensitised. The messages will run twice a day in selected villages for a period of 24 weeks.

  • To accommodate COVID restrictions, parents and guardians will be guided remotely through these community auditories, broadcast in local languages. The content reflects on different competencies across the 3 to 6 years of age and how parents can support children to gain mastery through relevant caregiving practices and specific learning activities.

  • A toolkit of activity-support materials organised along a weekly schedule for 3 -6-year-old children will also be provided to complement the messages in selected vulnerable households through home visiting. Parents and guardians will be supported to use these materials through the week by a visiting caregiver once a week. The Toolkit will be used on a rotational basis within the selected households

  • Read a story: This component will be emphasized based on the toolkit of materials, which will contain a story book. EYC will mobilise parents on the importance of reading and its benefit to children’s overall learning especially as children stay home due to the pandemic. The Visiting caregiver will encourage parents to read a story with the children. EYC will ensure that the story books are age appropriate in both English and local languages. EYC will also make a collection of existing story books in both Luganda and Lusoga. This will also promote a reading culture among parents.

  • As and when COVID restrictions allow, ECCE caregivers will conduct weekly small group (7-8 members) face to face sessions with parents to provide further support to learn new activities and review the activities of the past week, following the developmental gains demonstrated by their children. Under this modality, ECCE caregivers will be trained to be parent facilitators. The caregivers will organize parents in the neighbourhood in groups of 7-8 members who will meet on allocated days of the week, follow the assigned activities through the week and come back for the next face to face session according to the weekly schedule. These groups will also be trained to make materials to support their children.

  • An ECCE Caregivers guidebook will be developed for conducting weekly parent education sessions to guide parents in small face to face (7-8 members) sessions to conduct activities following the lead of the community auditory messages broadcast across 24 weeks. Each session will review the experience of activities in the past week across all three age groups, introduce the competency for the next week with corresponding activities and use of learning materials. EYC will pretest, revise and print. However, in case of already existing materials for caregivers, by other partners, EYC will partner and utilize these materials.

  • Partnership with District Local Governments
    EYC will partner with districts to track the reach, participation, knowledge gains and behaviour change among parents and guardians targeted by the program.

Thrive and Survive

Thrive and Survive.

The country has made great strides in improving the survival of children under-five years, but we also need to create the conditions to help children thrive as they grow and develop. This requires that children receive nurturing care in the earliest years, from pregnancy to age 3 years, to lay the foundation for a strong trajectory of development through adolescence and throughout the whole life course.

Nurturing care comprises five interrelated and indivisible components: good health, adequate nutrition, safety and security, responsive caregiving, and opportunities for early learning. Nurturing care protects children from the worst effects of adversity, as well as produces lifelong and intergenerational benefits for health, well-being, productivity, and social cohesion.

This program area focuses on emphasizing the thrive aspect within the survival programs and extending nurturing care to parents and caregivers. The program will also work with health units on integration of the thrive components into the pediatric programs being run with specific emphasis on responsive caregiving.

Institutional Development

Institutional Development.

To establish and develop Early Years Count-Uganda as an independent not-for-profit organisation in Uganda with the capacity and resources to execute its mission effectively.

In this year, the focus will be at establishing and strengthening EYC Uganda as an independent organisation working in Early Childhood Development with an operational relationship with government, civil societies and other actors nationally and internationally.

This will include establishing (1) organisational systems and governance structures, (2) policies, standards and procedures on staffing, (3) learning, monitoring and evaluation systems and (4) financial and administrative systems, to comply with national and international standards.

Key activities under this goal include development of key organisational policies and standards, and setting up accountability structures including formation of governing and technical advisory committees. Collaboration with key individuals, organisations and government departments is also important for EYC’s research and advocacy.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning for EYC

Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) will be at the heart of implementing the work plan. MEL will distinguish between reporting for internal purposes – which will be coordinated by the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officers – and reporting that is part of the core activities and seeks to influence a range of stakeholders. A number of different processes and methods (qualitative and quantitative) and a variety of tools will be put in place to facilitate effective MEL for organisational learning and measurement. Specific indicators will be identified early at the planning stage and used during implementation to monitor progress in achieving the set goals and evaluate achievement of the expected outcomes and impact

Monitoring

Monitoring will be concerned mainly with the baseline (the initial situation), with the inputs and processes of the various activities (such as staff, volunteers, software, time spent and costs) and with the immediate outputs and feedback (such as data obtained, findings reported and interactions with stakeholders). The monitoring focus will also be on coverage, reach, quality of the product, users’ feedback, emerging effects, stories of change from the field as well as challenges. The monitoring records will enable issues of cost-effectiveness to be considered.

Staffing

In order to function effectively and efficiently as an independent entity and achieve the desired results EYC Uganda will need a lean but strong professional staff, although it will maintain the partnership with local CSOs and other partners in accomplishing many of its activities. We propose a staff establishment of 8 full-time professional positions and consultants (program advisors ) to deliver on the proposed workplan and mobilise resources for the sustainability of the organisation. We also propose to have a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to advise on programme work from time to time.

  • First 8 Program & Campaign

  • Early Years Radio Local Drama series – Nurturing care & Age Appropriate Practices

  • Parenting App

  • Local Communities for Change 4 ECD

  • Amplify ECD

  • Early Years Leadership Champions Programme – building local leaders from the ground

  • ECD Budget Analysis

  • Annual State of Early Years in Uganda

  • Early Years Stakeholder Summit

  • ECD LG score card & Awards

  • Early Years Data, Evidence & Knowledge Hub

  • An Incubator for Early Years Solutions: Grassroots actors are most connected to children and parents, yet are too often overlooked – We would like to amplify grassroots efforts and unlock creativity in the Early Years

  • Building a National Non-State ECD Network – Bringing practitioners together always makes a difference.

On-ground Programmes bringing ECD services closer to the most disadvantaged children & Parents

Nurturing Care for Children with SCD – parent groups / Livelihoods

Pilot First 8 Parenting programme – Zero to Three Focus

A team of specialists and experts that provides consulting, Technical Assistance to early childhood programmes & initiatives and advisory.

Early Years Leaders – Inspiring and professionally growing a team of young people to build the Early Childhood workforce

It’s an incredible opportunity to reshape our future

– if we change their present

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