1. Strengthening Capacity of Women Religious in ECD (SCORE ECD) Project

2. Project Back Ground
Donor: Conrad N. Hilton Foundation through Catholic Relief Service implemented in Kenya, Malawi and Zambia.
Partners: National Associations of Sisters in Partnership with a total of 48 Congregations of Sisters in three countries (Kenya, Malawi and Zambia). In Kenya the project is implemented through the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (AOSK) in 41 counties.
Goal: Catholic Sisters in Kenya, Malawi and Zambia expand provision of ECD quality services for children 0-5 years

3. The objectives: See below
Improve ECD technical capacity
Increase organizational sustainability
Enhance Sisters’ networking and learning on ECD

4. Population Served
Across the three countries, Sisters serve the most vulnerable children, aged 0-5 with special focus on 0-2 years. Some of whom are disabled and /or infected and affected by HIV/AIDS across counties/ districts and in remote communities.
Sisters are providing programs in the community they served with ECD / EDCE components like Nutrition, HIV/AIDs, child rights and protection, economic strengthening, positive parenting, early stimulation, physical, spiritual, language development, prevention of mother to child transmition, counselling and ANC services, child rights and protection etc.

5. Achievements in Kenya
Trained 1,720 individual sister instead of targeted 405 in SECD, ECD, nutrition, child protection, positive parenting, fund development, HR, financial management, documentation, M&E, how to make local play materials.
Trained 33 Master trainers with skills in ECD using the national curriculum and SCORE ECD curriculum as a reference resource.
SCORE ECD curriculum developed tailored to the needs of Srs , ECD teachers and other ECD service providers with inputs from the government of Malawi, Kenya and Zambia, UNICEF, Save the Children and Universities. Was reviewed by many organizations, gov’t officials etc. The Curriculum has been adopted and used by the government for regional training and as resource document.
Sponsored a Sister for diploma in child rights and protection in Gregorian University in Rome . The Sister is working with the county Education department to sensitize the community/schools on the same.

6. Achievements
Caregivers: Sisters trained 5,000 caregivers on early stimulation, positive parenting, nutrition, safety, protection, quality ECD environment in ECD centers and homes
Integration: SCORE ECD project provided economic empowerment to caregivers both in schools and households.
Exchange learning visits and representation in ECD global, national and local meetings/ conferences
Networking: Sisters are networking with other ECD stakeholders at all levels e.g county ECD departments, MOE, MOH, Ministry of water, the National Catholic Reporter at both the global and regional levels, inter congregations, Global sisters report , UNICEF, etc

7. Achievements
Advocacy : As a result of more training in advocacy, the Sisters are publicly advocating ECD messages through the national radio, church structures, county government administration meetings, school management meetings, ECD technical working group meetings, CRS website, Global Sisters Report website, and public community gatherings.
Standard M&E System: Was developed for documentation of ECD best practices and achievements in ECD centers and related activities. This has led to improved documentation and easy tracking of data.

8. Achievements
Strengthened linkages & referral systems with government social welfare and victim support units as well as for HIV treatment, care and support. Involvement of more men to accompany their women for ANC Training of caregivers/ teachers on how to make nutrition food and local play materials for children to use at home Early identification of children with special needs and catering for them.

9. Major Achievements
Community sensitization together with caregivers and community health workers with close involvement of village headmen & chiefs on importance of ANC, testing, treatment, nutrition, holistic ECD, care for the infected.
Education for all children: Children with disabilities attend ECD schools run by the Sisters
Home Visits: conducted by sisters and community health workers at least every two-weeks for minutes or longer

10. Economic Empowerment for ECD centers

11. Achievements
Small grants: Administered to Sisters’ congregations and used for ECD trainings for caregivers/ teachers, economic empowerment, developing policy document like child protection policy, financial system, Human Resource Manual etc for the ECD centers and Sisters communities.

12. ECD exhibition during the global nutrition conference in Nairobi

13. Use of local play materials In an ECD center built by SCORE ECD Project fund

14. Sustainability
The existing institutions/ Congregational structures strengthened thru trainings
Capacity of individual Sister in ECD strengthened.
Linkages with MOE, MOH, and other ECD service providers created.
Promoting ownership by the Sisters and Community.

15. Sustainability ECD Master Trainers in place for continuation
ECD Training materials available.
Involvements of caregivers/ Teachers

16. Why Sisters have succeeded in implementing ECD
Sisters are very committed, focus, good in rolling out the skills gained, easy to work with and very dedicated. They work in remote places with or without any NGO/Gov’t support. They are trusted by the community. They are transparency. They are ready to share the little they have with the sufferings, poor and the most vulnerable. They serve with great Love and simplicity.