Dar es Salaam. Tanzania must move beyond discussions about early childhood development and translate existing research and programmes into practical support for millions of children, Ubongo chief executive officer Mwasi Wilmore has said.
Ms Wilmore said the country already had extensive research, programmes and discussions on the needs of children during their formative years, but the bigger challenge was turning that knowledge into action in homes and communities.
“I do not want to talk anymore about an early childhood development discussion involving Ubongo and UNICEF Tanzania, calling on stakeholders to focus on interventions that produce tangible results for children and families,” she said.
Her call comes amid significant gaps in child development, with data presented during a recent discussion showing that children below eight account for about 27 percent of Tanzania’s population, equivalent to roughly 17 million children.
About 30 percent of children under five are affected by stunting, while only 47 percent of young children are developmentally on track.
