Score ECD

About Score ECD

AOSK SCORE ECD is a project that started in 2017. It is funded by Conrad Hilton through Catholic relief services. The project targets children in their first 1000 days in life. The goal of the project is that children under in Kenya thrive in a sustainable culture of care and support. It has two main objectives: Children under two attain age developmental milestone and sister organizations sustain ECD activities at national and sub-national levels. 

The project uses the nurturing care framework platform on early stimulation, safety and security, opportunities in early learning, nutrition, and health.

 The Association trains sisters who reach out to the caregivers with messages in key WASH and infant and young child feeding behaviors, key health care seeking behavior, adoption of key early stimulation
and positive parenting behavior by pregnant and lactating women and primary caregivers. The Association also trains the sister congregations on resources, financial and human resource mobilization and management. Finally there is networking and advocacy for high quality ECD programs. All this is to
assist sisters assume ownership of ECD services.

Background:

CRS and Implementing Partners Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian agency of US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was founded in 1943 and carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas in over 100 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons based on need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality and works through local church and non- church partners to implement its programs. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations.

Project Background

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in collaboration with partners in Ghana, Zambia, Kenya and Malawi is implementing a three-year SCORE ECD III project with support from Conrad and Hilton Foundation, through Catholic Sister organizations towards achieving the goal children 0-3 years old in the target areas live in nurturing environments by 2024. Phase III of the project is supporting the sustainability and leadership of 5 National Associations and 32 Congregations of Catholic Sisters in the four countries. The project is strengthening sisters’ organizations, adapting and refining the SCORE model by scaling up a targeted maternal mental health component, incorporating household economic strengthening, SMART Couples interventions, and introducing a quality improvement component in Sister-managed health facilities. The project theory of change is that if Catholic Sisters and their organizations continue to expand and improve their technical and organizational capacities, then they will more effectively and sustainably provide services to caregivers of young children, leading to those caregivers being better able to provide nurturing care, which ultimately improves child development outcomes. At the same time, if Catholic Sisters and their organizations become more effective and sustainable, then they will be better placed to provide leadership and influence at the policy level, contributing to an enabling environment for children and families across the target countries to thrive.

CRS and Implementing Partners Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian agency of US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was founded in 1943 and carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas in over 100 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons based on need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality and works through local church and non- church partners to implement its programs. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations.

Aim

SCORE ECD is a collaborative project of AOSK and CRS which aims at enhancing Sisters’ capacities to positively impact the lives of the children they serve, and to be better positioned to continue and expand quality Early Child Development interventions in the future. AOSK coordinates the project across 9 Congregations.

Goal

Children under two (CU2) in Kenya, Malawi and Zambia thrive in a sustainable culture and support.

Objectives

The overall goal of the SCORE ECD III project is that children 0-3 years old in the target areas live in nurturing environments by 2024.

meet our amazing team

The Faces Behind our Work

Sr. Teresa Yator

AOSK SCORE ECD PROGRAM MANAGER

Christine Nguna

AOSK SCORE -ECD PROGRAM OFFICER