Project Overview

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Moments That Matter is an early childhood development (ECD) program partnership of Episcopal Relief & Development implemented by Zambia Anglican Council Outreach Programs (ZACOP) in Zambia and a Kenyan partner, Anglican Church of Kenya Development Services – Nyanza (ADS-Nyanza). The MTM Program takes a family-centred, holistic, community-led approach to nurturing care while filling a gap with its focus on young children’s outcomes in cognitive, language, motor, social and emotional development, positive discipline and other child protection issues and rights. The MTM Program aims to empower Primary Caregivers (mothers and others in that role) to strengthen their parenting in the areas of responsive care, early learning and security & safety of their children from birth to age three. This maximizes the opportunity for brain development during that period which has a life-long impact. Trained ECD Promoters, who are a new type of local volunteer, facilitate parenting social and behavioural change and peer learning with Primary Caregivers through the Primary Caregiver Support and Learning Groups and ECD home visits. Implemented in coordination with local health systems, MTM complements and reinforces the health and nutrition work of local health volunteers and staff, adding specific program activities as needed to fill gaps.

The MTM Program began in Zambia in 2012, in a partnership between ZACOP and Episcopal Relief & Development, and was funded in part by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (CNHF). In 2016, Dr Beatrice Matafwali and Mr Matthias Zingel conducted an external program evaluation using a quasi-experimental design, comparing outcomes between program participants and unexposed Primary Caregivers with a similar profile. The evaluation found the MTM Program was effective in achieving Primary Caregiver parenting behaviour changes and other outcomes, through the work of trained ECD Promoters. The researchers posited that the MTM “as a low-cost ECD intervention program was effective in achieving Primary Caregiver parenting behaviour changes and other outcomes, through the work of trained ECD Promoters and is replicable in other settings with similar demographic characteristics in Zambia and Africa” (p.69).

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Incorporating program improvements based on evaluation learnings, Episcopal Relief & Development, ZACOP and ADS-Nyanza expanded the program in Zambia and launched it in Kisumu County, Kenya in 2018. In the 2018-2021 program period, MTM Zambia and MTM Kenya will engage a total of 7100 families and 2457 families, respectively. In addition to continued support from the CNHF, Episcopal Relief & Development also receives Transition-to Scale support from the Grand Challenges Canada Savings Brains Initiative, the Episcopal Health Foundation, and private funders.