Raising every child with love and care in Lao PDR.
Parenting programme to equip new parents with valuable parenting knowledge and skill to raise healthy and happy children.
Life can be tough for some families in the remote village of Alange in the Sepon district of Savannakhet Province. With very few opportunities, some people struggle to make ends meet.
Ms. Khampha is the mother of a one-year-old boy, Sengchan. Khampha did not have any formal education on parenting which gave her knowledge to raise children and provide them with the right care.
"I worried a lot about my son's health and growth," says Khampha
During her early parenting days, Khama was introduced to the Love and Care for Every Child programme. The Love and Care for Every Child programme provide antenatal care, immunization services, and early childhood development care to families. It influences rural communities and transforms social and parenting behaviours via interpersonal channels of communication, such as home visits, group discussions, and community information sessions. The programme is implemented in 252 villages in 4 districts of 2 provinces by the Government of Lao PDR in partnership with UNICEF and with financial support from the Government of Australia.
"After the regular home visits and hospital sessions with trained health workers, I feel confident in my ability to take care of my son," says Khampa.
The early years of a child’s life play an important role in a child’s cognitive and intellectual development, as well as their productivity as adults. Ensuring that good parenting practices are implemented at home is thus crucial to early child development (ECD) and in enabling children to realize their full potential as adults.
Through regular sessions, Khampha learned about the importance of breastfeeding, proper hygiene, and nutrition for her son's development. She also gained knowledge about child development milestones and early detection of potential health issues.
The programme is more than parenting education for Khampa now. She now champions it in her community.
"I used to be shy and didn't know how to do public speaking," she shares. "The Love and Care for Every Child programme gave me an opportunity to share my knowledge with my neighbours and improved my communication skills," she further adds.
Khampha now volunteers as an advocate by sharing her knowledge and experience with other mothers in the area.
"I want to help other mothers like me," she says. "I feel proud to be able to make a difference in my community."
The Love and Care for Every Child programme has been life changing for Khampha and her family, as well as thousands of other families in the province. Thanks to the support of UNICEF and the Government of Australia, the programme has made a difference in the lives of over 40,000 families.
This program is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and UNICEF Thematic Pool fund.
