Excerpted from Building Strong Foundations: Showcasing Best Practices in Early Childhood Development Across Eastern and Southern Africa By Alison Parker, Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Office, and Lisa Bohmer, Global Early Childhood Development Director, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Every child deserves the best start in life. Yet across Eastern and Southern Africa, millions of children are being deprived of the nutrition, health, stimulation, protection, and early learning opportunities they need to thrive. Every one of those is a child whose future – and whose country’s future – is reliant on the nurturing care they receive in their earliest years.
It is against this backdrop that UNICEF and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation continue to deepen a long-standing partnership anchored in a simple, powerful truth: investing in early childhood is one of the smartest, and most equitable, decisions governments can make. Today, we are proud to share “Scaling what works for early childhood development: Compendium of good practices in ECD policies and programmes in Eastern and Southern Africa and Beyond“, a collection of proven approaches and innovations that demonstrate what is possible when evidence, commitment, and collaboration converge.
A partnership grounded in purpose and legacy
The Hilton Foundation has been a key partner for UNICEF, contributing to the holistic development of young children across the region and beyond. This generosity is rooted in the vision of Conrad N. Hilton himself, who wrote in his will;
“Be ever watchful for the opportunity to shelter little children with the umbrella of your charity… For, as they must bear the burdens of our mistakes, so are they in their innocence the repositories of our hopes for the upward progress of humanity.”
This ethos continues to guide the Foundation’s approach – one that values authentic collaboration, community-driven solutions, and long-term investment in human capital.
Moving forward together
The Compendium of Good Practices in ECD is more than a report. It is a testament to what becomes possible when partners unite around the belief that every child’s potential is worth fighting for. It offers practical models, inspiration, and a roadmap for scaling impact across the continent.
Our shared hope is that this Compendium sparks renewed momentum – and collective commitment – to ensure that every child in Eastern and Southern Africa not only survives, but thrives.