The foundations of a healthy and productive life are set in childhood. Intellect, skills and personality of children are cultivated during their rapid brain development, which occurs during their first 5 years of life. RHAS implements evidence-based interventions to ensure children enjoy healthy lives and their future wellbeing is promoted.

The ECD project targets parents of children aged from birth to five years to empower parents and caregivers alike, through a community-based approach, to ensure the home environment is better equipped to respond to children’s needs.

First Steps Big Step

FSBS early childhood development project aims to empower parents and caregivers through a community-based approach to create a more enabling home environment in order to respond better to children’s needs without gender discrimination or violence. The project targets parents of children aged 0-5, the project also aims at supporting ECD National Policy and integrating children services in the MOH system and ensuring sustainability by working with MOH on expanding the services given in health centers for mothers and children through integrating parenting in the MCCs.

The project is implemented inside Health centers, in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH), Plan International, PIJO, NCFA.

Summary for the Project activities:

• Health Centers’ locations for the second phase were identified, 14 centers were selected, refurbished, and prepared for the on-ground activities in the governorates of Amman, Zarqa, Karak, Balqa, Ajloun, Mafraq and Irbid.

• Building the capacity of 20 MOH staff and 20 volunteers were recruited for the project, and trained on ECD skills.

• The project activities were implemented in a hybrid model on-ground and online through WhatsApp groups.

• In 2022, 601 caregivers enrolled in the project, 580 caregivers attended the sessions so far... 

• FSBS activities ensured to provide the ECD services and activities with equal access to all caregivers regardless of gender, accordingly, male caregivers groups were established, as well as being a part of developing ECD male engagement document.