A souvenir photograph after the handover ceremony (Photo: Joena Meme)
The National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Trust Fund, at the request of the Institute of Early Childhood Development (IECD), has gifted home- based childminding services with resources so as to keep the childminding establishments Covid-free.
The donation of several essential items, including infrared thermometers, paper towel rolls, dispensers and hand sanitisers were handed over by ECCE board member Antoine Onezime to the chief executive of IECD, Shirley Choppy.
She in turn handed samples of the Covid-19 resources to five representatives of home-based childminding services. They were Anna Joseph from English River, Diana Aglae from St Louis and Veronique Hollanda, Fadette Vital and Sylvine Commettant from Perseverance 1.
The handover of the donation took place in a small ceremony held last week at the IECD head office, Le Chantier Mall, Victoria.
Present were the chairman of IECD, Captain David Savy; IECD staff; health representatives and board members of both IECD and ECCE.
The 86 registered home-based childminding services on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue will get a 5-litre gallon of sanitiser, including its dispenser; two rolls of paper towels and an infrared thermometer each.
The National ECCE Trust Fund has made the donation in support of the Covid-19 recovery plan for childminding services that was developed and implemented by the Task Force Sub-committee for childcare services under the leadership of IECD and endorsed by the department of health.
Central to the recovery plan is to ensure the safety, protection and health of young children, their families as well as the childcare providers and their staff.
Addressing all present, Mr Onezime said the Trust Fund recognises the important work being done by childminders, in the wake of the pandemic, to safeguard children in the communities and it was for that reason that it decided to support them with Covid-19 resources.
He noted that the donation is like a signal call to other unregistered childminders, to register with IECD so that they also could benefit.
The donation was the first of its kind to home-based childminding services. The ECCE Trust Fund, alongside IECD, looks to the continuity of childminding services during the pandemic and beyond, and ultimately support early learning and care of children during this challenging time with the view to minimising the impact of the virus on children’s holistic development.
Speaking on behalf of all childminders, Ms Hollanda, a childminder from Perseverance 1 with ten children under her belt, said the donation has come at an opportune time given the fact that, faced with the pandemic, they had to adapt to new changes which for the moment are very costly.
She noted that Covid-19 has made childminders more aware of the importance of hygiene among other measures for child safety including theirs.
She said the donation will be put to good use.
The Covid-19 resources were purchased at Atlantis Office Solutions, St Michel Complex, Anse Aux Pins and its owner, Andrew Germain, also made a personal contribution in terms of sanitisers and dispensers.
Mrs Choppy said that IECD is working to get unregistered childminders to register so that they could also reap the benefits being offered.
Patrick Joubert – Nation.sc
