World Vision Malawi has raised concerns over a national crisis in child development, attributing it to early childhood malnutrition, health disparities, and inequalities in access to education.
Speaking to the media in Lilongwe Thursday afternoon, Charles Gwengwe, Advocacy and Communication Director at World Vision Malawi, stressed the persistent gaps despite the critical importance of early investments in children’s development.
He warned that these challenges pose a serious threat to Malawi’s sustainable development goals for children.
According to Gwengwe, hundreds of thousands of children enter school with permanent cognitive impairments caused by malnutrition and poor health.
He urged the government and stakeholders to increase funding for early childhood development programs and provide sufficient resources for the country’s most vulnerable children.
“We have many different stakeholders working towards child development programs in Malawi, yet significant gaps remain between children from underprivileged backgrounds and those from wealthy families. That is why we say ‘enough is enough.’ We must work together to close these gaps and ensure that all children receive equal access to quality education from an early age,” said Gwengwe.
He further stressed that prioritizing equity in early childhood development would help break the cycle of poverty and inequality while enhancing national productivity and economic growth.
World Vision Malawi is leading the Enough Campaign, which advocates for a more radical approach in addressing disparities in early childhood education.
The campaign highlights that Malawi has sufficient policies, resources, and political will to support early childhood development, but these assets are not being effectively utilized.
An analysis conducted by World Vision Malawi revealed that only 34% of children have access to early childhood educational services.
Alarmingly, of those, only 19% demonstrate foundational reading skills, leaving a vast majority without the necessary skills for future success.
Gwengwe called on the government to honour commitments made under international frameworks such as the Dakar Framework for Education for All.
He emphasized that investing in early childhood education yields substantial economic returns and should be prioritized.
“We must not only focus on higher education; we need to invest in the foundational years. The long-term benefits will be significant, as a well-nourished, well-educated generation will contribute positively to national development,” he said.
World Vision Malawi currently implements early childhood development programs in 19 districts and is actively engaging stakeholders to push for more government-led initiatives.
The organization remains committed to ensuring that every child in Malawi has access to quality early education, adequate nutrition, and a fair start in life.
