Young children, especially those facing COVID-19 and existing humanitarian situations such as conflict or natural disasters, are facing a double emergency, making it even more difficult for them to survive and thrive. Research illustrates that responsive caregiving/playful parenting is a critical element of what young children need. Yet, parents and caregivers now face additional burdens of childcare, home schooling and more. There are many models for supporting parents and caregivers so they can help their young children survive and thrive.
This 90-minute webinar will highlight how two models – Care for Child Development and REACH UP and Learn – have been adapted and implemented in various contexts around the world. Through three country examples, participants will learn about how these two models were adapted and used in humanitarian contexts that are also experiencing COVID-19.
Presenters
Aisha Yousafzai – Associate Professor of Global Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Yousafzai has extensive experience in evaluating early childhood interventions in south Asia, East Africa, and in central and east Europe. One of Dr. Yousafzai’s most significant studies is the Pakistan Early Child Development Scale-Up (PEDS) trial.
Katelin Wilton – Senior Specialist, Early Childhood Development. Katelin works on content development and technical support, with a particular focus on our ECD programs targeting caregivers of young children. Katelin has also worked for IRC as Interim Education coordinator in Turkey and as Grants and Programs Coordinator in Tanzania where she managed the IRC’s Healing Families parenting program.
Feryal Hammoud – Pharmacist and Maternal, Newborn, Child and Reproductive Health (MNCRH) Officer ECD Program at the Aga Khan Foundation as of 2019. Feryal worked as an MNCRH Officer – Health Program 2015-2018. She is Science of ECD certified from Red River College 2019.
Muhammad Aizuki – Early Childhood Development (ECD) Project Coordinator at the Aga Khan Foundation as of 2019. Muhammad worked as a Senior Partnership Officer and Manager of Quality of Life study from 2016 to 2019. He is Science of ECD certified from Red River College 2019 and has a Master in Biology.
Garren Lumpkin – Presently an independent consultant. Garren has worked with UNICEF since 1981 in various positions including responsibilities for ECD, Childhood Disabilities and Basic Education programmes at the country, sub-regional and regional LAC levels. He worked as a UNICEF consultant for leading the implementation of the Child Care and Family Support component of the LAC Zika response in eight countries and is a member of the UNICEF LACRO Regional Disabilities Task Force as part of the COVID-19 response.
Karen Panameño – Health, Nutrition and Emergencies Officer in UNICEF El Salvador. She led the implementation of the UNICEF Zika response in El Salvador, including the inclusive ECD component. Karen has 15 years of work experience in Health, Nutrition, ECD, including in emergency contexts, working for World Vision, the Ministry of Education of El Salvador, WHO, and UNICEF.
