Community-Based Child Care Center (CBCC); Kamwendo 5 village, Mchinji, Malawi

Teachers pour water into cistern so the children can wash their hands before snack time. The water is carried over from the community well a few feet away.
The CBCC was established in 2000 as a community initiative to teach kids while they are young- before they start primary school. At the CBCC, children learn and are given porridge made from maize flour, groundnut and soya mix. There are women who volunteer to teach at the CBCC and they are called caretakers. Parents take turns preparing the porridge at the CBCC. In 2016, save the children joined the initiative. They helped by building the capacity of the teachers by training them how to teach, Early Childhood Development (ECD) and nutrition i.e. how to prepare a nutritious porridge.
Enrollment to the CBCC has been increasing since its establishment because parents have realized the need to teach children early, the porridge serves as an incentive for children to go and the increase in population. This year, there are over 100 students enrolled. The food that the children are given comes from the CBCC’s farm and contributions from parents.
Photo credit:
Melissa Cooperman/IFPRI