The Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) has found, through the second edition of the country’s early childhood development (ECD) scorecard, that stunting is being reduced.

A related study was presented on Wednesday, February 8, during ECD Day held in Nyabihu District, one of the districts in Western Province with the highest prevalence of stunting. It now has a reduced stunting rate of 12 per cent.

The study conducted by RGB in collaboration with the Rwanda National Child Development Agency (NCDA), assessed the quality of service delivery in ECD facilities in all 30 districts.

Findings from the scorecard found that health and nutrition are the best performing pillars with a score of 82 and 78 per cent, respectively, while child protection and inclusiveness is the least performing pillar with the score of 43.6 per cent.

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It was also found that the ECD program has significant benefits encompassing early children stimulation and social development, supplementary feeding for children under five years, improvement of parents’ education in preparing balanced diet and number of meals per day for children under two years old.

According to the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2020, the stunting rate significantly reduced in 13 districts with the Stunting Prevention and Reduction Project (SPRP) intervention introduced in 2018.

National stunting prevalence currently stands at 33.1 per cent.

The six districts with SPRP intervention recorded a positive change for stunting reduction. These are Nyamagabe, Karongi, Kayonza, Huye, Bugesera and Nyabihu with a reduced stunting rate of 18, 17, 14, 14, 13 and 12 per cent, respectively.

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Kamonyi, the only district without SPRP intervention, registered a stunting reduction rate at 14 per cent. Musanze, Gicumbi, Nyamasheke, Kirehe and Gasabo districts have recorded an increase in stunting rate of 7, 5, 4, 2, and 1 per cent, respectively.

More, improved ECD needed

There are, presently, more than 30,000 home, community, center and school based ECDs.

According to Nadine Gatsinzi Umutoni, the Director General for NCDA, about one million children countrywide access early child development services, yet more than 300,000 don’t as a result of inadequate facilities.

Dr. Félicien Usengumukiza, Head of the research and home grown solutions department at RGB, noted that most home based ECD highly need more improvement in terms of access to clean water, hygiene and equipment amongst other basic needs.

As part of the challenges, it was noted that ECD beneficiaries with livestock mainly in Nyabihu, Gakenke, and Bugesera districts, sell their milk and other produce instead of consuming it at home.

"It is also important to note that except for Rwamagana, all the remaining districts that sell livestock production have high numbers of children with malnutrition and stunting challenges,” the study read in part. It is calling for continuous sensitization of citizens to consume a good part of their nutritious food and milk produce at home instead of taking everything to the market.

For the Mayor of Nyabihu District, Antoinette Mukandayisenga, the biggest challenge her district faces is poor mindset.

"Having a healthy child is not about wealth or being rich. It’s about mindset,” the Mayor said.

Console Mukeshimana, a mother of two, and Innocent Nshimiyimana, one of the caregivers in Mukamira Sector, recommend more community mobilization on the role and participation of parents in the ECD program for awareness rising and mindset change.

Early Childhood Development is a period of rapid and critical development - from conception to eight years.

Quality nurturing care during this period - adequate nutrition, good health care, protection, play and early education - is vital for children's physical, cognitive, linguistic and social-emotional development.

Some 4,713 parents whose children benefit from the ECD program as well as 690 caregivers participated in the study.

Lack of reliable data, poor coordination of the ECD program at district level, lack of compliance with ECD standards and parents’ participation are other challenges that still limit the implementation and sustainability of the ECD services.