PATH has partnered with the Aga Khan Foundation and USAID Advancing Nutrition project in Mozambique to adapt and deliver a Science of ECD course for technical managers and decision-makers at the national and subnational level. The adaptations included the use of national data on child development, examples of in-country ECD programming, and images and practical exercises reflecting the context of Mozambique. Adapted 3-day and 1-day courses were then offered to provincial and district leadership—program leads, governor, and first lady offices—in two provinces of the country, in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation.
Additionally, an advocacy brief was developed to guide decision-makers as they think of actions to take to promote ECD after the training. The trainings and advocacy activities resulted in the development of provincial multisectoral ECD plans and a series of activities undertaken by program leads and first lady offices.
In Kenya, PATH has collaborated with KMET to mobilize executive commitment (including the governor and first lady) in Siaya County, leading to the creation of the Siaya County Nurturing Care Strategic Plan in 2020. This included influencing policies, securing budget allocations, and establishing Nurturing Care for ECD as a county program. Similar advocacy efforts were extended across six counties in the Lake Region Economic Block. As a part of this work PATH and KMET trained policymakers, including county assembly members and executive committees, on the science of ECD.