Supporting Early Childhood Development Centres in Sierra Leone
Starting pre-school was especially exciting for children in Konacrydee in Sierra Leone this year. In fact, the whole community of the small fishing village in Port Loko District, north of Freetown, was bustling with excitement as their new Early Childhood Development Centre was formally opened in September, completed with toys, furniture and proper water and sanitation facilities. The centre is one of nine Early Childhood Development Centres that have been constructed over the past three years, servicing over a thousand pre-school children across 17 coastal communities in western parts of Sierra Leone.
The opening is part of a much larger programme where the government of Iceland, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Government of Sierra Leone have partnered to provide access to climate-resilient water supply, sanitation and hygiene services, and waste management systems to over 55 thousand people in Sierra Leone’s coastal communities. These services are primarily provided through schools and health clinics, but also throughout the communities where fish landing platforms have been constructed to improve handling and processing of fish and mobilization efforts are underway to ensure clean seashores and safe areas along the coastal line for recreational and commercial activities.
From harmful smoke to safe play
In the coastal communities of Sierra Leone traditional smoke ovens remain one of the main alternatives for fish preservation. However, without access to proper care for their young children, mothers have had to bring their children to the fish processing sites where they are exposed to the harmful smoke from the ovens and open fire. Thus, the Early Childhood Development Centres are not only giving children better learning and developmental opportunities but also providing them with a safe space to play.
During the opening ceremony in Konacrydee, Elín R. Sigurðardóttir, Director General of Development Cooperation at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Iceland, emphasised the importance of children’s early development. “This centre is not just bricks and mortars, it is our commitment to the children of Konacrydee, to ensure they feel valued and that their future matters.” During the ceremony, Conrad Sackey Ibrahim, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, thanked the government of Iceland for its support and said that the centre in Konacrydee gave hope for a better future for all children of Sierra Leone.