A multi million early childhood development project grant supported by Benard Vandlier and Hilton Conrad Foundations which is targeting up to 200,000 children between the ages of 0 and 5 years within Siaya County has appointed Siaya First Lady Rozella Rasanga as its patron.
Through partnerships with non governmental organizations including PATH, KMET and Catholic Relief Services, the early childhood development project running for the next five years will reach all public, private and church based health facilities in Siaya on capacity building, infrustructure development and intensive community mobilization.
While accepting the appointment, Rozella Rasanga attributed early pregnancies and related future health complications to absence of proper early childhood development programs.
She also noted that universal access to early childhood development was one of the Governor’s campaign flagships thereby making the project timely.
“Siaya County has been known as a Land of Heroes since time immemorial and this project will ensure we continuously produce Heroes into the future”, she noted.
In preparation for the launch of this mega health initiative, The Hilton Conrad Foundation recently sponsored a seven member delegation from Siaya County led by Governor Cornel Rasanga for a two week training on early childhood development at The Harvard School of Government in the United States of America.
Rasanga while congratulating the First Lady on her appointment committed that the County Government will work closely with its partners and the national government to ensure smooth transition from early childhood to adult learning.
While noting the the real impact of the project will be realized in as many as fifteen years to come, the Governor promised political, financial and social mobilization support to ensure the project succeeds.
Officials from PATH Kenya and KMET joined the Governor, the First Lady, County Executive Committee Members and other health and education department officials at the appointment ceremony held in Siaya on May 2, 2018.
