Supporting Early Childhood Development in Malawi
We’re really proud to be supporting Unicef UK on a five-year programme in Malawi to help young children from 0-5 years old.
Malawi is a small country in East Africa and one of the poorest countries in the world. Low wages and pressures on parents mean that many children don’t get the care and attention they need. Nutritious food can be scarce, and there are few places that they can go where they can be cared for and be with other children to learn and develop through play.
This is what the money we have given to Unicef UK will work to change.
UNICEF knows that without care, food and early stimulation, children are slower to develop. They have poorer language and social skills and find it difficult to learn. This poor start then has a knock-on effect on a child’s education and their future.
Unicef UK and Tetley are partnering to bring quality Early Childhood Development services to one of the main tea growing areas in Malawi which will begin to level the playing field for vulnerable children, helping them to get the most from their education and in time, have the chance of a better future. Supporting children in these early years is a great way to help them to break the cycle of poverty that they would otherwise find themselves in.
What’s planned?
Firstly, we’re particularly excited that this is the first time that UNICEF has done this type of project on a tea estate in Malawi.
The plan is to build two Early Childhood Development Centres in South Malawi where many of the tea estates are. Local people will be recruited and trained to manage and deliver the things that the children need.
The partnership won’t stop there, there are also plans for parents and carers to be given help and advice on parenting and the care and development of children. Employers will also be supported to help them understand the importance of children’s rights and how these apply to where they work.
“Bar Kenya, we buy more tea from Malawi than any other tea producing country in the world and have been supporting projects in the country for many years. We’re proud to be partnering with Unicef UK for this new initiative, which is a first for tea estates in Malawi. We hope that the impact of the project will be felt immediately once the new Early Childhood Development Centres are built and ready for use and look forward to helping achieve long term change for families and children, through the wider programme of communication and support.”
Graeme Karavis, Managing Director, Tetley GB Ltd