by Lesley O’Connell I love going on field visits. It is by far one of my favorite activities as an IDB sector specialist, because it reminds me of the reality of our countries and what our programs are trying to achieve. One thing that has impressed me from my field visits in Ecuador is that in almost every remote corner I have visited there has been an early childcare … [Read more...] about Reinventing Childcare Centers in Ecuador
No Water, No Handwashing?
By Diana Pinto Picture a typical handwashing scene at a day care center in a developing country. A class of roughly 15 children lines up to use the sink; however, water only flows from the tap some of the time or the sink doesn’t work at all, so water must be fetched in containers from a faraway tank. … [Read more...] about No Water, No Handwashing?
An important day in Brazil (and not because of soccer!)
On October 17 and 18 child development experts from Brazil, Cuba, the Netherlands, Chile and the United States will meet in Brasilia. The invitation comes from the Technical Department of Child Health and Breastfeeding of the Minsitry of Health. The goal of this meeting is to help the Brazilian Ministry of Health develop a national program to promote the comprehensive … [Read more...] about An important day in Brazil (and not because of soccer!)
TED Talk: The first 1000 days, crucial in a child’s future
More than 70 million people live in the countries conforming the Mesoamerican region (Central America and Mexico). Nearly 40 million of them live in a situation of poverty and have a high risk of poor nutrition. What´s their future like? … [Read more...] about TED Talk: The first 1000 days, crucial in a child’s future
Andean Countries thinking together
In collaboration with Sophie Gardiner. The governments of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru are all investing in the provision of public childcare services for disadvantaged families. As a result, female labor force participation has improved, but conditions for children are not necessarily better. So, how to improve the quality of these services? Smaller child-to-caregiver ratios, … [Read more...] about Andean Countries thinking together