Project report

Project Background

Plan International is working in 15 villages in Rakhine state to provide poor and disadvantaged children aged birth to 8 years with access to quality early learning services, and to prepare older children for school through our primary school transition program.

With your support we have been working with children, their parents, early learning centre caregivers and primary school teachers to increase their skills and knowledge to strengthen the support for child wellbeing – so children have a better start to life.

Project Outcomes

• Children in Grade 1 and 2 have been supported to remain in school and pass from one grade to the next through community and school based transition activities
• Plan produced a Learning Toys Production Guide for Early Learning Programs and Home Play, used as a resource for a Toy Making Workshop for parents. The workshop included discussion on why toys need to be disability inclusive and toy making for children with disabilities
• Curriculum, pictorial child development and toy making cards and other resources that support child health were produced
• Plan is engaging mothers and fathers in parenting groups. This year, father-only parenting group sessions were started and fathers reported that this gives them the safety and ability to open up about their concerns and emotions in a way that would not be possible in a mixed group
• Given the ethnic groups present in Taungup, the project ensures mother tongue teaching takes place through the use of teachers’ assistants in the classroom, contextualisation of curriculum and integration of traditional stories, games and songs into the daily routine

Key Achievements

Parenting Groups

• Plan International and partners are providing training on child protection, inclusive teaching practices, positive discipline and equality between girls and boys to early learning caregivers and Grade 1 and 2 primary school teachers to help increase their skills and confidence in the classroom
• Since having father-only parenting sessions, fathers are more engaged in parenting and in making community plans and actions.
• 1,462 parenting group members are attending parenting sessions regularly, have demonstrated changes in practice and shared new knowledge with spouses and neighbours in 8 villages. During these sessions they learn to make educational toys.
• These parenting groups are also being used as an entry point for discussion and action around inclusion of children and parents with disabilities in the community, by raising awareness of the barriers faced by people with disabilities and looking at ways to increase their access to services and participation the community

Playgroups

• 25 playgroups are meeting regularly, with 801 children participating in these
• 71 playgroup volunteers have been trained in 25 villages

Teaching Improvements

• 18 children’s club volunteers were trained and provided with ongoing mentoring and coaching to run playgroups for children aged from birth to 3 years. These volunteers are helping build parents’ knowledge and practical skills to support their child’s development.
• Mother tongue teaching taking place through the use of teachers’ assistants in the classroom, contextualisation of curriculum and integration of traditional stories, games and songs into the daily routine so as to address barriers to inclusion for ethnic groups, particularly language and cultural barriers to education has been ensured.

Program Beneficiaries

• 10 Father groups and 10 Mother groups have been created during this period of support from Footprints.
• 278 children (141 girls; 137 boys-aged 6-8 years) are attending 5 children’s clubs. Children learn through play and attend the club once a week.
• 432 children (236 girls; 196 boys) are attending 15 community managed Early Childhood Centred Development centres.
• 2,290 fathers in the community have improved knowledge to help their child’s development as well as an understanding of child potection, equality between boys and girls, child-friendly teaching and learning.
• 4,371 mothers in the community have improved knowledge to help their child’s development as well as an understanding of child protection, equality between boys and girls, child-friendly teaching and learning.
• 1,276 girls in the community have benefited from improved knowledge, teaching, and facilities
• 948 boys in the community have benefited from improved knowledge, teaching, and facilities

Community Feedback

A community effort for the development of children

Tae Mauk Village is located in Sar Pyin Village Tract, north-west to Toungup Town, Rakhine State

The Early Childhood Centred Development (ECCD) project has focused on promoting parents’ behaviour change and developed parents and caregivers’ awareness and knowledge in supporting children’s wellbeing (growth, development, and learning and protection); strengthened caregiver’s attitudes, beliefs, and practices in relation to caring for children; and motivated community members to work as a team to address community issues that affect children.

The village leader, Maung Pu Lay who has been taking a leadership role in the Early Childhood Centred Development activities said, “We attended the management training and we became aware of our problems”.

“We also learned the importance of early years in a child’s life and their development needs.” 

He continued, “When the community is committed to ECCD work, a community space like an ECCD centre in the village becomes crucial. We had community meetings at night to discuss about how to contribute to having a space like this for our children. More important is the parents groups learning and modelling their child care practices. These activities will change the future of our children.”

"When I saw children happily singing songs and learning through play in the ECCD centre that we all have built together, I was filled with tears. Those were tears of joy. I am sure many people in my village feel the same. We had many challenges but we can overcome these. Now, children receive proper care. 

“This is what we did together for the children in our village, for their future, for our future.” Maung Pu Lay said.